Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “implicit time integration”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 109 records · Page 6

A transient FETI methodology for large-scale parallel implicit computations in structural mechanics

Explicit codes are often used to simulate the nonlinear dynamics of large-scale structural systems, even for low frequency response, because the storage and CPU requirements entailed by the repeated factorizations traditionally found in implicit codes rapidly overwhelm the available computing resources. With the advent of parallel processing, this trend is accelerating because explicit schemes are also easier to parallelize than implicit ones. However, the time step restriction imposed by the Courant stability condition on all explicit schemes cannot yet -- and perhaps will never -- be offset by the speed of parallel hardware. Therefore, it is essential to develop efficient and robust alternatives to direct methods that are also amenable to massively parallel processing because implicit codes using unconditionally stable time-integration algorithms are computationally more efficient when simulating low-frequency dynamics. Here we present a domain decomposition method for implicit schemes that requires significantly less storage than factorization algorithms, that is several times faster than other popular direct and iterative methods, that can be easily implemented on both shared and local memory parallel processors, and that is both computationally and communication-wise efficient. The proposed transient domain decomposition method is an extension of the method of Finite Element Tearing and Interconnecting (FETI) developed by Farhat and Roux for the solution of static problems. Serial and parallel performance results on the CRAY Y-MP/8 and the iPSC-860/128 systems are reported and analyzed for realistic structural dynamics problems. These results establish the superiority of the FETI method over both the serial/parallel conjugate gradient algorithm with diagonal scaling and the serial/parallel direct method, and contrast the computational power of the iPSC-860/128 parallel processor with that of the CRAY Y-MP/8 system.

Farhat, Charbel↗

An improved semi-implicit method for structural dynamics analysis

A semi-implicit algorithm is presented for direct time integration of the structural dynamics equations. The algorithm avoids the factoring of the implicit difference solution matrix and mitigates the unacceptable accuracy losses which plagued previous semi-implicit algorithms. This substantial accuracy improvement is achieved by augmenting the solution matrix with two simple diagonal matrices of the order of the integration truncation error.

Park, K. C.↗

A transient FETI methodology for large-scale parallel implicit computations in structural mechanics, part 2

Explicit codes are often used to simulate the nonlinear dynamics of large-scale structural systems, even for low frequency response, because the storage and CPU requirements entailed by the repeated factorizations traditionally found in implicit codes rapidly overwhelm the available computing resources. With the advent of parallel processing, this trend is accelerating because explicit schemes are also easier to parallellize than implicit ones. However, the time step restriction imposed by the Courant stability condition on all explicit schemes cannot yet and perhaps will never be offset by the speed of parallel hardware. Therefore, it is essential to develop efficient and robust alternatives to direct methods that are also amenable to massively parallel processing because implicit codes using unconditionally stable time-integration algorithms are computationally more efficient than explicit codes when simulating low-frequency dynamics. Here we present a domain decomposition method for implicit schemes that requires significantly less storage than factorization algorithms, that is several times faster than other popular direct and iterative methods, that can be easily implemented on both shared and local memory parallel processors, and that is both computationally and communication-wise efficient. The proposed transient domain decomposition method is an extension of the method of Finite Element Tearing and Interconnecting (FETI) developed by Farhat and Roux for the solution of static problems. Serial and parallel performance results on the CRAY Y-MP/8 and the iPSC-860/128 systems are reported and analyzed for realistic structural dynamics problems. These results establish the superiority of the FETI method over both the serial/parallel conjugate gradient algorithm with diagonal scaling and the serial/parallel direct method, and contrast the computational power of the iPSC-860/128 parallel processor with that of the CRAY Y-MP/8 system.

Farhat, Charbel↗

A 3-dimensional Navier-Stokes-Euler code for blunt-body flow computations

The shock-layer flowfield is obtained with or without viscous and heat-conducting dissipations from the conservative laws of fluid dynamics equations using a shock-fitting implicity finite-difference technique. The governing equations are cast in curvilinear-orthogonal coordinates and transformed to the domain between the shock and the body. Another set of equations is used for the singular coordinate axis, which, together with a cone generator away from the stagnation point, encloses the computation domain. A time-dependent alternating direction implicit factorization technique is applied to integrate the equations with local-time increment until a steady solution is reached. The shock location is updated after the flowfield computation, but the wall conditions are implemented into the implicit procedure. Innovative procedures are introduced to define the initial flowfield, to treat both perfect and equilibrium gases, to advance the solution on a coarse-to-fine grid sequence, and to start viscous flow computations from their corresponding inviscid solutions. The results are obtained from a grid no greater than 28 by 18 by 7 and converged within 300 integration steps. They are of sufficient accuracy to start parabolized Navier-Stokes or Euler calculations beyond the nose region, to compare with flight and wind-tunnel data, and to evaluate conceptual designs of reentry spacecraft.

Li, C. P.↗

A DG-IMEX Method for Two-moment Neutrino Transport: Nonlinear Solvers for Neutrino–Matter Coupling

Neutrino-matter interactions play an important role in core-collapse supernova (CCSN) explosions as they contribute to both lepton number and/or four-momentum exchange between neutrinos and matter, and thus act as the agent for neutrino-driven explosions. Due to the multiscale nature of neutrino transport in CCSN simulations, an implicit treatment of neutrino-matter interactions is desired, which requires solutions of coupled nonlinear systems in each step of the time integration scheme. In this paper we design and compare nonlinear iterative solvers for implicit systems with energy coupling neutrino-matter interactions commonly used in CCSN simulations. Specifically, we consider electron neutrinos and antineutrinos, which interact with static matter configurations through the Bruenn 85 opacity set. The implicit systems arise from the discretization of a nonrelativistic two-moment model for neutrino transport, which employs the discontinuous Galerkin (DG) method for phase-space discretization and an implicit-explicit (IMEX) time integration scheme. In the context of this DG-IMEX scheme, we propose two approaches to formulate the nonlinear systems — a coupled approach and a nested approach. For each approach, the resulting systems are solved with Anderson-accelerated fixedpoint iteration and Newton’s method. The performance of these four iterative solvers has been compared on relaxation problems with various degree of collisionality, as well as proto-neutron star deleptonization problems with several matter profiles adopted from spherically symmetric CCSN simulations. Here, numerical results suggest that the nested Anderson-accelerated fixed-point solver is more efficient than other tested solvers for solving implicit nonlinear systems with energy coupling neutrino-matter interactions.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Implicit and Multigrid Method for Ideal Multigrid Convergence: Direct Numerical Simulation of Separated Flow Around NACA 0012 Airfoil

Numerical investigation of flow separation over a NACA 0012 airfoil at large angles of attack has been carried out. The numerical calculation is performed by solving the full Navier-Stokes equations in generalized curvilinear coordinates. The second-order LU-SGS implicit scheme is applied for time integration. This scheme requires no tridiagonal inversion and is capable of being completely vectorized, provided the corresponding Jacobian matrices are properly selected. A fourth-order centered compact scheme is used for spatial derivatives. In order to reduce numerical oscillation, a sixth-order implicit filter is employed. Non-reflecting boundary conditions are imposed at the far-field and outlet boundaries to avoid possible non-physical wave reflection. Complex flow separation and vortex shedding phenomenon have been observed and discussed.

Liu, Chao-Qun↗

Jacobian-free Newton–Krylov method for the simulation of non-thermal plasma discharges with high-order time integration and physics-based preconditioning

A preconditioning framework for the numerical simulation of non-thermal streamer discharges is developed using the Jacobian-free Newton-Krylov (JFNK) method. A reduced plasma fluid model is considered, consisting of electrons, one positive ion, one negative ion, and the electrostatic potential. Here, the plasma kinetics model includes ionization, electron-ion recombination, electron attachment, electron detachment, and ion-ion recombination. The governing equations are made dimensionless, discretized in space with finite differences, and integrated in time with a fully implicit method based on high-order backward differentiation formulas. The preconditioning framework is based on a linearized form of the governing equations and physics-based operator splitting. The efficiency of the preconditioning strategy is assessed through two test cases: streamer propagation between parallel plates and an axisymmetric pin-to-pin discharge. The fully implicit approach overcomes traditional restrictions in the time step size due to processes such as electron drift, electron diffusion, and dielectric relaxation. Excellent performance is observed through relevant statistics of the JFNK solver, although the number of linear iterations increases for the pin-to-pin discharge when nonlinear numerical boundary conditions are imposed at the electrodes. Performance studies show scalability with O(100-1000) processors for O(10M) unknowns with ample room for optimization.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

A technique for the prediction of airfoil flutter characteristics in separated flow

A solution procedure is described for determining the two-dimensional, one- or two-degree-of-freedom flutter characteristics of arbitrary airfoils at large angles of attack. The same procedure is used to predict stall flutter. This procedure requires a simultaneous integration in time of the solid and fluid equations of motion. The fluid equations of motion are the unsteady compressible Navier-Stokes equations, solved in a body-fitted moving coordinate system using an approximate factorization scheme. The solid equations of motion are integrated in time using an Euler implicit scheme. Flutter is said to occur if small disturbances imposed on the airfoil attitude lead to divergent oscillatory motions at subsequent times. Results for a number of special cases are presented to demonstrate the suitability of this scheme to predict flutter at large mean angles of attack. Some stall flutter applications are also presented.

Wu, Jiunn-Chi↗

Application of Navier-Stokes analysis to stall flutter

A solution procedure was developed to investigate the two-dimensional, one- or two-dimensional flutter characteristics of arbitrary airfoils. This procedure requires a simultaneous integration in time of the solid and fluid equations of motion. The fluid equations of motion are the unsteady compressible Navier-Stokes equations, solved in a body-fitted moving coordinate system using an approximate factorization scheme. The solid equations of motion are integrated in time using an Euler implicit scheme. Flutter is said to occur if small disturbances imposed on the airfoil attitude lead to divergent oscillatory motions at subsequent times. The flutter characteristics of airfoils in subsonic speed at high angles of attack and airfoils in high subsonic and transonic speeds at low angles of attack are investigated. The stall flutter characteristics are also predicted using the same procedure.

Wu, J. C.↗

Oscillatory flow with heat transfer in a square cavity

A computational study is presented for the flow inside an oscillatory cavity. The numerical scheme employs a semi-implicit, time-splitting method to integrate the two-dimensional full Navier-Stokes equations satisfying continuity to machine accuracy. The efficient use of direct solvers for the uncoupled momentum and pressure equations is demonstrated. The oscillatory cavity flow is studied considering the effects of heat transfer, Reynolds number, and oscillatory Stokes number.

Biringen, S.↗

Numerical prediction of the unsteady flowfield around the F-18 aircraft at large incidence

This paper describes a numerical method capable of solving the steady and unsteady viscous flow around complete aircraft configurations at high angles of attack. This method is used to simulate the external flow around the F-18 aircraft, including deflected control surfaces. The current technique employs a generalized overset zonal grid scheme to decompose the computational space around the aircraft. The grid around various components of the aircraft are created numerically using a three-dimensional hyperbolic grid generation procedure. The Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations are integrated using a time-accurate, implicit procedure. Results for the turbulent flow around the F-18 aircraft at 30 degrees angle of attack show the details of the flowfield structure, including the unsteadiness created by the vortex burst and the resulting fluctuating airloads exerted on the vertical tail. The computed results agree fairly well with flight data for surface pressure, surface flow pattern, vortex burst location, and the dominant frequency for tail load fluctuations.

Rizk, Yehia M.↗

Numerical investigation of tail buffet on F-18 aircraft

Numerical investigation of vortex induced tail buffet is conducted on the F-18 aircraft at high angles of attack. The Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations are integrated using a time-accurate, implicit procedure. A generalized overset zonal grid scheme is used to decompose the computational space around the complete aircraft with faired-over inlet. A weak coupling between the aerodynamics and structures is assumed to compute the structural oscillation of the flexible vertical tail. Time-accurate computations of the turbulent flow around the F-18 aircraft at 30 degrees angle of attack show the surface and off-surface flowfield details, including the unsteadiness created by the vortex burst and its interaction with the vertical twin tail which causes the tail buffet. The effect of installing a LEX fence on modifying the vortex structure upstream of the tail is also examined.

Rizk, Yehia M.↗

Flow simulations about steady-complex and unsteady moving configurations using structured-overlapped and unstructured grids

The limiting factor in simulating flows past realistic configurations of interest has been the discretization of the physical domain on which the governing equations of fluid flow may be solved. In an attempt to circumvent this problem, many Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) methodologies that are based on different grid generation and domain decomposition techniques have been developed. However, due to the costs involved and expertise required, very few comparative studies between these methods have been performed. In the present work, the two CFD methodologies which show the most promise for treating complex three-dimensional configurations as well as unsteady moving boundary problems are evaluated. These are namely the structured-overlapped and the unstructured grid schemes. Both methods use a cell centered, finite volume, upwind approach. The structured-overlapped algorithm uses an approximately factored, alternating direction implicit scheme to perform the time integration, whereas, the unstructured algorithm uses an explicit Runge-Kutta method. To examine the accuracy, efficiency, and limitations of each scheme, they are applied to the same steady complex multicomponent configurations and unsteady moving boundary problems. The steady complex cases consist of computing the subsonic flow about a two-dimensional high-lift multielement airfoil and the transonic flow about a three-dimensional wing/pylon/finned store assembly. The unsteady moving boundary problems are a forced pitching oscillation of an airfoil in a transonic freestream and a two-dimensional, subsonic airfoil/store separation sequence. Accuracy was accessed through the comparison of computed and experimentally measured pressure coefficient data on several of the wing/pylon/finned store assembly's components and at numerous angles-of-attack for the pitching airfoil. From this study, it was found that both the structured-overlapped and the unstructured grid schemes yielded flow solutions of comparable accuracy for these simulations. This study also indicated that, overall, the structured-overlapped scheme was slightly more CPU efficient than the unstructured approach.

Newman, James C., III↗

On spurious behavior of CFD simulations

Spurious behavior in underresolved grids and/or semi-implicit temporal discretizations for four computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations are studied. The numerical simulations consist of (a) a 1-D chemically relaxed nonequilibrium model, (b) the direct numerical simulation (DNS) of 2-D incompressible flow over a backward facing step, (c) a loosely-coupled approach for a 2-D fluid-structure interaction, and (d) a 3-D compressible unsteady flow simulation of vortex breakdown in delta wings. Using knowledge from dynamical systems theory, various types of spurious behaviors that are numerical artifacts were systematically identified. These studies revealed the various possible dangers of misinterpreting numerical simulation of realistic complex flows that are constrained by the available computing power. In large scale computations underresolved grids, semi-implicit procedures, loosely-coupled implicit procedures, and insufficiently long time integration in DNS are most often unavoidable. Consequently, care must be taken in both computation and in interpretation of the numerical data. The results presented confirm the important role that dynamical systems theory can play in the understanding of the nonlinear behavior of numerical algorithms and in aiding the identification of the sources of numerical uncertainties in CFD.

Numerical Solution↗

Implicit-explicit Runge-Kutta for radiation hydrodynamics I: Gray diffusion

Radiation hydrodynamics are a challenging multiscale and multiphysics set of equations. To capture the relevant physics of interest, one typically must time step on the hydrodynamics timescale, making explicit integration the obvious choice. On the other hand, the coupled radiation equations have a scaling such that implicit integration is effectively necessary in non-relativistic regimes. A first-order Lie-Trotter-like operator split is the most common time integration scheme used in practice, alternating between an explicit hydrodynamics step and an implicit radiation solve and energy deposition step. However, such a scheme is limited to first-order accuracy, and nonlinear coupling between the radiation and hydrodynamics equations makes a more general additive partitioning of the equations non-trivial. Here, we develop a new formulation and partitioning of radiation hydrodynamics with gray diffusion that allows us to apply (linearly) implicit-explicit Runge-Kutta time integration schemes. In conclusion, we prove conservation of total energy in the new framework, and demonstrate 2nd-order convergence in time on multiple radiative shock problems, achieving error 3–5 orders of magnitude smaller than the first-order Lie-Trotter operator split at the hydrodynamic CFL, even when Lie-Trotter applies a 3rd-order TVD Runge-Kutta scheme to the hydrodynamics equations.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Implicit–explicit multirate infinitesimal stage-restart methods

Implicit–Explicit (IMEX) methods are flexible numerical time integration methods which solve an initial-value problem (IVP) that is split into stiff and nonstiff processes with the goal of lower computational costs than a purely implicit or explicit approach. A complementary form of flexible IVP solvers are multirate infinitesimal methods for problems split into fast- and slow-changing dynamics, that solve a multirate IVP by evolving a sequence of “fast” IVPs using any suitably accurate algorithm. This article introduces a new class of high-order implicit–explicit multirate methods that are designed for multirate IVPs in which the slow-changing dynamics are further split in an IMEX fashion. This new class, which we call implicit–explicit multirate infinitesimal stage-restart (IMEX-MRI-SR), both improves upon the previous implicit–explicit multirate infinitesimal generalized-structure additive Runge Kutta (IMEX-MRI-GARK) methods by allowing for far easier creation of new embedded methods, and extends multirate exponential Runge Kutta (MERK) methods by allowing the fast-changing dynamics to be nonlinear and the methods to be implicit. We leverage GARK theory to derive conditions for orders of accuracy up to four, and we provide second- and third-order accurate example methods, which are the first known embedded MRI methods with IMEX structure. We then perform numerical simulations demonstrating convergence rates and computational performance in both fixed-step and adaptive-step settings.

96 KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND PRESERVATION↗

Integration of the shallow water equations on the sphere using a vector semi-Lagrangian scheme with a multigrid solver

A vector semi-Lagrangian semi-implicit two-time-level finite-difference integration scheme for the shallow water equations on the sphere is presented. A C-grid is used for the spatial differencing. The trajectory-centered discretization of the momentum equation in vector form eliminates pole problems and, at comparable cost, gives greater accuracy than a previous semi-Lagrangian finite-difference scheme which used a rotated spherical coordinate system. In terms of the insensitivity of the results to increasing timestep, the new scheme is as successful as recent spectral semi-Lagrangian schemes. In addition, the use of a multigrid method for solving the elliptic equation for the geopotential allows efficient integration with an operation count which, at high resolution, is of lower order than in the case of the spectral models. The properties of the new scheme should allow finite-difference models to compete with spectral models more effectively than has previously been possible.

Bates, J. R.↗

Finite element developments for two dimensional multiple-interface phase change problems

Finite element developments for multiple phase change problems in two-dimensional models are presented for the first time. The enthalpy method is used to simulate latent heat release in conjunction with fixed grid techniques. An unconditionally stable implicit method is used for the time integration. The effects of boundary conditions and the different phase regions on the multiple phase front developments are examined for numerous examples. Discussions and conclusions are appropriately addressed.

Ouyang, Tianhong↗