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At least 667 records · Page 37
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1996

Predicting the stability of a compressible periodic parallel jet flow

It is known that mixing enhancement in compressible free shear layer flows with high convective Mach numbers is difficult. One design strategy to get around this is to use multiple nozzles. Extrapolating this design concept in a one dimensional manner, one arrives at an array of parallel rectangular nozzles where the smaller dimension is omega and the longer dimension, b, is taken to be infinite. In this paper, the feasibility of predicting the stability of this type of compressible periodic parallel jet flow is discussed. The problem is treated using Floquet-Bloch theory. Numerical solutions to this eigenvalue problem are presented. For the case presented, the interjet spacing, s, was selected so that s/omega =2.23. Typical plots of the eigenvalue and stability curves are presented. Results obtained for a range of convective Mach numbers from 3 to 5 show growth rates omega(sub i)=kc(sub i)/2 range from 0.25 to 0.29. These results indicate that coherent two-dimensional structures can occur without difficulty in multiple parallel periodic jet nozzles and that shear layer mixing should occur with this type of nozzle design.

Miles, Jeffrey H.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Parallel Newton-Krylov-Schwarz algorithms for the transonic full potential equation

We study parallel two-level overlapping Schwarz algorithms for solving nonlinear finite element problems, in particular, for the full potential equation of aerodynamics discretized in two dimensions with bilinear elements. The overall algorithm, Newton-Krylov-Schwarz (NKS), employs an inexact finite-difference Newton method and a Krylov space iterative method, with a two-level overlapping Schwarz method as a preconditioner. We demonstrate that NKS, combined with a density upwinding continuation strategy for problems with weak shocks, is robust and, economical for this class of mixed elliptic-hyperbolic nonlinear partial differential equations, with proper specification of several parameters. We study upwinding parameters, inner convergence tolerance, coarse grid density, subdomain overlap, and the level of fill-in in the incomplete factorization, and report their effect on numerical convergence rate, overall execution time, and parallel efficiency on a distributed-memory parallel computer.

Cai, Xiao-Chuan↗
NASA NTRS1996

Global Load Balancing with Parallel Mesh Adaption on Distributed-Memory Systems

Dynamic mesh adaption on unstructured grids is a powerful tool for efficiently computing unsteady problems to resolve solution features of interest. Unfortunately, this causes load imbalance among processors on a parallel machine. This paper describes the parallel implementation of a tetrahedral mesh adaption scheme and a new global load balancing method. A heuristic remapping algorithm is presented that assigns partitions to processors such that the redistribution cost is minimized. Results indicate that the parallel performance of the mesh adaption code depends on the nature of the adaption region and show a 35.5X speedup on 64 processors of an SP2 when 35% of the mesh is randomly adapted. For large-scale scientific computations, our load balancing strategy gives almost a sixfold reduction in solver execution times over non-balanced loads. Furthermore, our heuristic remapper yields processor assignments that are less than 3% off the optimal solutions but requires only 1% of the computational time.

Biswas, Rupak↗
NASA NTRS1996

Aerodynamic Shape Optimization of Supersonic Aircraft Configurations via an Adjoint Formulation on Parallel Computers

This work describes the application of a control theory-based aerodynamic shape optimization method to the problem of supersonic aircraft design. The design process is greatly accelerated through the use of both control theory and a parallel implementation on distributed memory computers. Control theory is employed to derive the adjoint differential equations whose solution allows for the evaluation of design gradient information at a fraction of the computational cost required by previous design methods. The resulting problem is then implemented on parallel distributed memory architectures using a domain decomposition approach, an optimized communication schedule, and the MPI (Message Passing Interface) Standard for portability and efficiency. The final result achieves very rapid aerodynamic design based on higher order computational fluid dynamics methods (CFD). In our earlier studies, the serial implementation of this design method was shown to be effective for the optimization of airfoils, wings, wing-bodies, and complex aircraft configurations using both the potential equation and the Euler equations. In our most recent paper, the Euler method was extended to treat complete aircraft configurations via a new multiblock implementation. Furthermore, during the same conference, we also presented preliminary results demonstrating that this basic methodology could be ported to distributed memory parallel computing architectures. In this paper, our concern will be to demonstrate that the combined power of these new technologies can be used routinely in an industrial design environment by applying it to the case study of the design of typical supersonic transport configurations. A particular difficulty of this test case is posed by the propulsion/airframe integration.

Reuther, James↗
NASA NTRS1996

High Performance Parallel Multigrid Algorithms for Unstructured Grids

We describe a high performance parallel multigrid algorithm for a rather general class of unstructured grid problems in two and three dimensions. The algorithm PUMG, for parallel unstructured multigrid, is related in structure to the parallel multigrid algorithm PSMG introduced by McBryan and Frederickson, for they both obtain a higher convergence rate through the use of multiple coarse grids. Another reason for the high convergence rate of PUMG is its smoother, an approximate inverse developed by Baumgardner and Frederickson.

Frederickson, Paul O.↗
NASA NTRS1996

The NAS Parallel Benchmarks 2.1 Results

We present performance results for version 2.1 of the NAS Parallel Benchmarks (NPB) on the following architectures: IBM SP2/66 MHz; SGI Power Challenge Array/90 MHz; Cray Research T3D; and Intel Paragon. The NAS Parallel Benchmarks are a widely-recognized suite of benchmarks originally designed to compare the performance of highly parallel computers with that of traditional supercomputers.

Saphir, William↗
NASA NTRS1996

Global Load Balancing with Parallel Mesh Adaption on Distributed-Memory Systems

Dynamic mesh adaptation on unstructured grids is a powerful tool for efficiently computing unsteady problems to resolve solution features of interest. Unfortunately, this causes load inbalances among processors on a parallel machine. This paper described the parallel implementation of a tetrahedral mesh adaption scheme and a new global load balancing method. A heuristic remapping algorithm is presented that assigns partitions to processors such that the redistribution coast is minimized. Results indicate that the parallel performance of the mesh adaption code depends on the nature of the adaption region and show a 35.5X speedup on 64 processors of an SP2 when 35 percent of the mesh is randomly adapted. For large scale scientific computations, our load balancing strategy gives an almost sixfold reduction in solver execution times over non-balanced loads. Furthermore, our heuristic remappier yields processor assignments that are less than 3 percent of the optimal solutions, but requires only 1 percent of the computational time.

Biswas, Rupak↗
NASA NTRS1995

Improved CDMA Performance Using Parallel Interference Cancellation

This report considers a general parallel interference cancellation scheme that significantly reduces the degradation effect of user interference but with a lesser implementation complexity than the maximum-likelihood technique. The scheme operates on the fact that parallel processing simultaneously removes from each user the interference produced by the remaining users accessing the channel in an amount proportional to their reliability. The parallel processing can be done in multiple stages. The proposed scheme uses tentative decision devices with different optimum thresholds at the multiple stages to produce the most reliably received data for generation and cancellation of user interference. The 1-stage interference cancellation is analyzed for three types of tentative decision devices, namely, hard, null zone, and soft decision, and two types of user power distribution, namely, equal and unequal powers. Simulation results are given for a multitude of different situations, in particular, those cases for which the analysis is too complex.

Simon, Marvin↗
NASA NTRS1996

Aerodynamic Shape Optimization of Supersonic Aircraft Configurations via an Adjoint Formulation on Parallel Computers

This work describes the application of a control theory-based aerodynamic shape optimization method to the problem of supersonic aircraft design. The design process is greatly accelerated through the use of both control theory and a parallel implementation on distributed memory computers. Control theory is employed to derive the adjoint differential equations whose solution allows for the evaluation of design gradient information at a fraction of the computational cost required by previous design methods (13, 12, 44, 38). The resulting problem is then implemented on parallel distributed memory architectures using a domain decomposition approach, an optimized communication schedule, and the MPI (Message Passing Interface) Standard for portability and efficiency. The final result achieves very rapid aerodynamic design based on higher order computational fluid dynamics methods (CFD). In our earlier studies, the serial implementation of this design method (19, 20, 21, 23, 39, 25, 40, 41, 42, 43, 9) was shown to be effective for the optimization of airfoils, wings, wing-bodies, and complex aircraft configurations using both the potential equation and the Euler equations (39, 25). In our most recent paper, the Euler method was extended to treat complete aircraft configurations via a new multiblock implementation. Furthermore, during the same conference, we also presented preliminary results demonstrating that the basic methodology could be ported to distributed memory parallel computing architectures [241. In this paper, our concem will be to demonstrate that the combined power of these new technologies can be used routinely in an industrial design environment by applying it to the case study of the design of typical supersonic transport configurations. A particular difficulty of this test case is posed by the propulsion/airframe integration.

Reuther, James↗
NASA NTRS1996

Beyond the Renderer: Software Architecture for Parallel Graphics and Visualization

As numerous implementations have demonstrated, software-based parallel rendering is an effective way to obtain the needed computational power for a variety of challenging applications in computer graphics and scientific visualization. To fully realize their potential, however, parallel renderers need to be integrated into a complete environment for generating, manipulating, and delivering visual data. We examine the structure and components of such an environment, including the programming and user interfaces, rendering engines, and image delivery systems. We consider some of the constraints imposed by real-world applications and discuss the problems and issues involved in bringing parallel rendering out of the lab and into production.

Crockett, Thomas W.↗
NASA NTRS1997

CFD Analysis and Design Optimization Using Parallel Computers

A versatile and efficient multi-block method is presented for the simulation of both steady and unsteady flow, as well as aerodynamic design optimization of complete aircraft configurations. The compressible Euler and Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations are discretized using a high resolution scheme on body-fitted structured meshes. An efficient multigrid implicit scheme is implemented for time-accurate flow calculations. Optimum aerodynamic shape design is achieved at very low cost using an adjoint formulation. The method is implemented on parallel computing systems using the MPI message passing interface standard to ensure portability. The results demonstrate that, by combining highly efficient algorithms with parallel computing, it is possible to perform detailed steady and unsteady analysis as well as automatic design for complex configurations using the present generation of parallel computers.

Martinelli, Luigi↗
NASA NTRS1997

Interactions Between Flames on Parallel Solid Surfaces

The interactions between flames spreading over parallel solid sheets of paper are being studied in normal gravity and in microgravity. This geometry provides interesting opportunities to study the interaction of radiative and diffusive transport mechanisms on the spread process. Radiative losses from flames are recognized as an important component of flame spread. These loss mechanisms are changed when the flame interacts with other flames. Most practical heterogeneous combustion processes involve interacting discrete burning fuel elements, consequently, the study of these interactions is of practical significance. Owing largely to this practical importance, flame interactions have been an area of active research, however microgravity research has been largely limited to droplets. Consideration of parallel solid surfaces has been limited to 1-g studies. The parallel spread geometry offers several distinct differences from single sheet spread, the appearance of the internal flame, instabilities of the internal flame, pressure dependence of spread rate and spread rate variation with separation distance. These issues are being studies as part of this program and discussed in this paper.

Urban, David L.↗
NASA NTRS1997

High-Performance Parallel Analysis of Coupled Problems for Aircraft Propulsion

Applications are described of high-performance computing methods to the numerical simulation of complete jet engines. The methodology focuses on the partitioned analysis of the interaction of the gas flow with a flexible structure and with the fluid mesh motion driven by structural displacements. The latter is treated by a ALE technique that models the fluid mesh motion as that of a fictitious mechanical network laid along the edges of near-field elements. New partitioned analysis procedures to treat this coupled three-component problem were developed. These procedures involved delayed corrections and subcycling, and have been successfully tested on several massively parallel computers, including the iPSC-860, Paragon XP/S and the IBM SP2. The NASA-sponsored ENG10 program was used for the global steady state analysis of the whole engine. This program uses a regular FV-multiblock-grid discretization in conjunction with circumferential averaging to include effects of blade forces, loss, combustor heat addition, blockage, bleeds and convective mixing. A load-balancing preprocessor for parallel versions of ENG10 was developed as well as the capability for the first full 3D aeroelastic simulation of a multirow engine stage. This capability was tested on the IBM SP2 parallel supercomputer at NASA Ames.

Felippa, C. A.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Geopotential Error Analysis from Satellite Gradiometer and Global Positioning System Observables on Parallel Architecture

The recovery of a high resolution geopotential from satellite gradiometer observations motivates the examination of high performance computational techniques. The primary subject matter addresses specifically the use of satellite gradiometer and GPS observations to form and invert the normal matrix associated with a large degree and order geopotential solution. Memory resident and out-of-core parallel linear algebra techniques along with data parallel batch algorithms form the foundation of the least squares application structure. A secondary topic includes the adoption of object oriented programming techniques to enhance modularity and reusability of code. Applications implementing the parallel and object oriented methods successfully calculate the degree variance for a degree and order 110 geopotential solution on 32 processors of the Cray T3E. The memory resident gradiometer application exhibits an overall application performance of 5.4 Gflops, and the out-of-core linear solver exhibits an overall performance of 2.4 Gflops. The combination solution derived from a sun synchronous gradiometer orbit produce average geoid height variances of 17 millimeters.

Schutz, Bob E.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Parallelization of the Implicit RPLUS Algorithm

The multiblock reacting Navier-Stokes flow solver RPLUS2D was modified for parallel implementation. Results for non-reacting flow calculations of this code indicate parallelization efficiencies greater than 84% are possible for a typical test problem. Results tend to improve as the size of the problem increases. The convergence rate of the scheme is degraded slightly when additional artificial block boundaries are included for the purpose of parallelization. However, this degradation virtually disappears if the solution is converged near to machine zero. Recommendations are made for further code improvements to increase efficiency, correct bugs in the original version, and study decomposition effectiveness.

Orkwis, Paul D.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Parallelization of the Implicit RPLUS Algorithm

The multiblock reacting Navier-Stokes flow-solver RPLUS2D was modified for parallel implementation. Results for non-reacting flow calculations of this code indicate parallelization efficiencies greater than 84% are possible for a typical test problem. Results tend to improve as the size of the problem increases. The convergence rate of the scheme is degraded slightly when additional artificial block boundaries are included for the purpose of parallelization. However, this degradation virtually disappears if the solution is converged near to machine zero. Recommendations are made for further code improvements to increase efficiency, correct bugs in the original version, and study decomposition effectiveness.

Orkwis, Paul D.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Data Partitioning and Load Balancing in Parallel Disk Systems

Parallel disk systems provide opportunities for exploiting I/O parallelism in two possible waves, namely via inter-request and intra-request parallelism. In this paper we discuss the main issues in performance tuning of such systems, namely striping and load balancing, and show their relationship to response time and throughput. We outline the main components of an intelligent, self-reliant file system that aims to optimize striping by taking into account the requirements of the applications and performs load balancing by judicious file allocation and dynamic redistributions of the data when access patterns change. Our system uses simple but effective heuristics that incur only little overhead. We present performance experiments based on synthetic workloads and real-life traces.

Scheuermann, Peter↗
NASA NTRS1988

Visualizing Parallel Computer System Performance

Parallel computer systems are among the most complex of man's creations, making satisfactory performance characterization difficult. Despite this complexity, there are strong, indeed, almost irresistible, incentives to quantify parallel system performance using a single metric. The fallacy lies in succumbing to such temptations. A complete performance characterization requires not only an analysis of the system's constituent levels, it also requires both static and dynamic characterizations. Static or average behavior analysis may mask transients that dramatically alter system performance. Although the human visual system is remarkedly adept at interpreting and identifying anomalies in false color data, the importance of dynamic, visual scientific data presentation has only recently been recognized Large, complex parallel system pose equally vexing performance interpretation problems. Data from hardware and software performance monitors must be presented in ways that emphasize important events while eluding irrelevant details. Design approaches and tools for performance visualization are the subject of this paper.

Malony, Allen D.↗