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At least 1,405 records · Page 78

Oxygen-hydrogen injector performance and compatibility with ablative chambers

An experimental investigation was conducted to develop a high-thrust, high-performance, concentric tube injector element for use with near liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellants. A parallel tube coaxial injector yielded 98 percent theoretical characteristic exhaust velocity efficiency. Installation of swirlers in the oxidizer tube improved performance but caused high ablative erosion near the injector. Film cooling significantly reduced ablative erosion near the injector but did not completely alleviate gouging adjacent to each outer injection element.

Wanhainen, J. P.↗

Comparison of Analytical and Numerical Performance Predictions for a Regenerative Heat Exchanger in the International Space Station Node 3 Internal Active Thermal Control System

The complexity of International Space Station (ISS) systems modeling often necessitates the concurrence of various dissimilar, parallel analysis techniques to validate modeling. This was the case with a feasibility and performance study of the ISS Node 3 Regenerative Heat Exchanger (RHX). A thermo-hydraulic network model was created and analyzed in SINDA/FLUINT. A less complex, closed form solution of the system dynamics was created using Excel. The purpose of this paper is to provide a brief description of the modeling processes utilized, the results and benefits of each to the ISS Node 3 RHX study.

Wise, Stephen A.↗

Demystifying asynchronous I/O Interference in HPC applications

With increasing complexity of HPC workflows, data management services need to perform expensive I/O operations asynchronously in the background, aiming to overlap the I/O with the application runtime. However, this may cause interference due to competition for resources: CPU, memory/network bandwidth. The advent of multi-core architectures has exacerbated this problem, as many I/O operations are issued concurrently, thereby competing not only with the application but also among themselves. Furthermore, the interference patterns can dynamically change as a response to variations in application behavior and I/O subsystems (e.g. multiple users sharing a parallel file system). Without a thorough understanding, I/O operations may perform suboptimally, potentially even worse than in the blocking case. To fill this gap, here we investigate the causes and consequences of interference due to asynchronous I/O on HPC systems. Specifically, we focus on multi-core CPUs and memory bandwidth, isolating the interference due to each resource. Then, we perform an in-depth study to explain the interplay and contention in a variety of resource sharing scenarios such as varying priority and number of background I/O threads and different I/O strategies: sendfile, read/write, mmap/write underlining trade-offs. The insights from this study are important both to enable guided optimizations of existing background I/O, as well as to open new opportunities to design advanced asynchronous I/O strategies.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Retargeting of existing FORTRAN program and development of parallel compilers

The software models used in implementing the parallelizing compiler for the B-HIVE multiprocessor system are described. The various models and strategies used in the compiler development are: flexible granularity model, which allows a compromise between two extreme granularity models; communication model, which is capable of precisely describing the interprocessor communication timings and patterns; loop type detection strategy, which identifies different types of loops; critical path with coloring scheme, which is a versatile scheduling strategy for any multicomputer with some associated communication costs; and loop allocation strategy, which realizes optimum overlapped operations between computation and communication of the system. Using these models, several sample routines of the AIR3D package are examined and tested. It may be noted that automatically generated codes are highly parallelized to provide the maximized degree of parallelism, obtaining the speedup up to a 28 to 32-processor system. A comparison of parallel codes for both the existing and proposed communication model, is performed and the corresponding expected speedup factors are obtained. The experimentation shows that the B-HIVE compiler produces more efficient codes than existing techniques. Work is progressing well in completing the final phase of the compiler. Numerous enhancements are needed to improve the capabilities of the parallelizing compiler.

Agrawal, Dharma P.↗

Bingo: A Customizable Framework for Symbolic Regression with Genetic Programming

In this paper, we introduce Bingo, a flexible and customizable yet performant Python framework for symbolic regression with genetic programming. Bingo maintains a modular code structure for simple abstraction and easily swappable components. Fitness functions, selection methods, and constant optimization methods allow for easy problem-specific customization. Bingo also maintains several features for increased efficiency such as parallelism, equation simplification, and a C++ backend. We compare Bingo’s performance to other genetic programming for symbolic regression (GPSR) methods to show that it is both competitive and flexible.

machine learning↗

Bingo: A Customizable Framework for Symbolic Regression with Genetic Programming

In this paper, we introduce Bingo, a flexible and customizable yet performant Python framework for symbolic regression with genetic programming. Bingo maintains a modular code structure for simple abstraction and easily swappable components. Fitness functions, selection methods, and constant optimization methods allow for easy problem-specific customization. Bingo also maintains several features for increased efficiency such as parallelism, equation simplification, and a C++ backend. We compare Bingo’s performance to other genetic programming for symbolic regression (GPSR) methods to show that it is both competitive and flexible.

David Randall↗

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.↗

Semi-automatic process partitioning for parallel computation

On current multiprocessor architectures one must carefully distribute data in memory in order to achieve high performance. Process partitioning is the operation of rewriting an algorithm as a collection of tasks, each operating primarily on its own portion of the data, to carry out the computation in parallel. A semi-automatic approach to process partitioning is considered in which the compiler, guided by advice from the user, automatically transforms programs into such an interacting task system. This approach is illustrated with a picture processing example written in BLAZE, which is transformed into a task system maximizing locality of memory reference.

Koelbel, Charles↗

A Comparison of GPU-Accelerated Multiphase CFD Solvers on the Polaris Supercomputer: Part 1

This report is in support of the Innovative and Novel Computational Impact on Theory and Experiment (INCITE) program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE). With INCITE-level resources, one project, titled BubblyFlow, was granted computational resources for the 2025 calendar year on the Polaris supercomputer at the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility (ALCF). The project aims to conduct simulations to understand the fundamental characteristics of turbulent bubbly flow phenomena in nature. Staff at the ALCF and Argonne’s Computational Science division, along with collaborators at the City College of New York and University of Illinois at Chicago, helped a summer student to assess the accuracy and performance of two high performance computing (HPC) codes. Both codes, ImExLBM and FluTAS, are fundamentally different in their mathematical and numerical modeling. However, both may be used to solve the same physical problem. The collaboration sought to better understand the differences between both codes in terms of accuracy and efficiency. This would ultimately help the BubblyFlow project better utilize resources and establish a knowledge-base of code capabilities in future simulation campaigns. We compare ImExLBM and FluTAS, two high-performance multiphase computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solvers, in terms of physical fidelity, time-to-solution, and parallel efficiency. We validate ImExLBM (Implicit-Explicit Lattice Boltzmann Method) against a canonical benchmark and assess it’s performance relative to FluTAS (Fluid Transport Accelerated Solver), a well-established open-source CFD code.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Function algorithms for MPP scientific subroutines, volume 1

Design documentation and user documentation for function algorithms for the Massively Parallel Processor (MPP) are presented. The contract specifies development of MPP assembler instructions to perform the following functions: natural logarithm; exponential (e to the x power); square root; sine; cosine; and arctangent. To fulfill the requirements of the contract, parallel array and solar implementations for these functions were developed on the PDP11/34 Program Development and Management Unit (PDMU) that is resident at the MPP testbed installation located at the NASA Goddard facility.

Gouch, J. G.↗

Science of the Van Allen Probes Science Operations Centers

The Van Allen Probes mission operations materialized through a distributed model in which operational responsibility was divided between the Mission Operations Center (MOC) and separate instrument specific SOCs. The sole MOC handled all aspects of telemetering and receiving tasks as well as certain scientifically relevant ancillary tasks. Each instrument science team developed individual instrument specific SOCs proficient in unique capabilities in support of science data acquisition, data processing, instrument performance, and tools for the instrument team scientists. In parallel activities, project scientists took on the task of providing a significant modeling tool base usable by the instrument science teams and the larger scientific community. With a mission as complex as Van Allen Probes, scientific inquiry occurred due to constant and significant collaboration between the SOCs and in concert with the project science team. Planned cross-instrument coordinated observations resulted in critical discoveries during the seven-year mission. Instrument cross-calibration activities elucidated a more seamless set of data products. Specific topics include post-launch changes and enhancements to the SOCs, discussion of coordination activities between the SOCs, SOC specific analysis software, modeling software provided by the Van Allen Probes project, and a section on lessons learned. One of the most significant lessons learned was the importance of the original decision to implement individual team SOCs providing timely and well-documented instrument data for the NASA Van Allen Probes Mission scientists and the larger magnetospheric and radiation belt scientific community.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Thermal diffusivity of irradiated tungsten and tungsten-rhenium alloys

The Japan-US PHENIX project irradiated tungsten materials in the RB-19J capsule experiment in the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR). A gadolinium (Gd) shielding was used to absorb the thermal neutrons and reduce rhenium and osmium generation in tungsten. Pure tungsten and K-doped W-3% Re samples were irradiated at 532 – 662 °C to dose of 0.21-0.46 dpa, with the grain orientation perpendicular or parallel to the disk surface. Thermal diffusivity measurements were performed from 100 °C to 500 °C. Furthermore, additional measurements followed after annealing up to 900 °C. Irradiated pure tungsten specimens showed similar thermal diffusivity results compared with an unirradiated W-1% Re specimen in another study. The transmutation amount of Re was calculated to be about 0.52% for those specimens that showed good agreement with this study. Specimens irradiated in this study to different doses presented almost the same thermal diffusivity. Annealing up to 800 °C resulted in no recovery of thermal diffusivity. These results show that the contribution of crystalline defects to degradation of thermal diffusivity is quite limited. In addition, the thermal diffusivity of the irradiated specimens was getting close to that of the unirradiated specimens at elevated temperature.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Challenges and opportunities to alloyed and composite fuel architectures to mitigate high uranium density fuel oxidation: uranium silicide

We report the challenges and opportunities to alloyed and composite fuel architectures designed and intended to mitigate oxidation of the fuel during a cladding breech of a water-cooled reactor are discussed in three review manuscripts developed in parallel, with the presented article focused on the oxidation performance of uranium silicide. Several high uranium density fuels are under consideration for deployment as accident tolerant and/or advanced technology nuclear reactor fuels, including UN, U 3 Si 2 , UC and UB 2 . Presented here are the literature for the U3Si2 degradation modes, thermodynamics, and oxidation performance of the pure compound and its reported alloyed and composite architectures. Furthermore, this review covers the materials and techniques for the incorporation of additives, dopants, or composite fuel architectures to improve the oxidation/corrosion behavior for high uranium density fuels for use in LWRs.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Challenges and opportunities to alloyed and composite fuel architectures to mitigate high uranium density fuel oxidation: Uranium mononitride

We see the challenges and opportunities to alloyed and composite fuel architectures designed and intended to mitigate oxidation of the fuel during a cladding breech of a water-cooled reactor are discussed in three review manuscripts developed in parallel, with the presented article focused on the oxidation performance of uranium mononitride. Several high uranium density fuels are under consideration for deployment as accident tolerant and/or advanced technology nuclear reactor fuels, including one on each: UN, U 3 Si 2 , UC and UB 2 . Presented here is the research motivation for the incorporation of additives, dopants, or composite fuel architectures to improve the oxidation/corrosion behavior of high uranium density nuclear fuels for use in LWRs. Furthermore, this review covers the literature on the degradation modes, thermodynamics, and oxidation performance of pure UN and UN-compounds as well as reported alloyed and composite architectures.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Challenges and opportunities to alloyed and composite fuel architectures to mitigate high uranium density fuel oxidation: Uranium diboride and uranium carbide

Here, the challenges and opportunities to alloyed and composite fuel architectures designed and intended to mitigate oxidation of the fuel during a cladding breach of a water-cooled reactor are discussed in three review manuscripts developed in parallel, with the presented article focused on the oxidation performance of uranium diboride and uranium monocarbide. Several high uranium density fuels are under consideration for deployment as accident tolerant and/or advanced technology nuclear reactor fuels, including UN, U 3 Si 2 , UB 2 , and UC. Presented here is the literature for UB 2 and UC degradation modes, thermodynamics, and oxidation performance of the pure compounds and reported alloyed and composite architectures. Furthermore, this review covers the materials and techniques for the incorporation of additives, dopants, or composite fuel architectures to improve the oxidation behavior for high uranium density fuels for use in LWRs.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Pilot microbial electrolysis cell closes the hydrogen loop for hydrothermal wet waste conversion to jet fuel

The global shift toward net-zero emissions necessitates resource recovery from wet waste. In this study, we demonstrate the first feasibility of combining pilot-scale microbial electrolytic cells (MECs) with hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) for simultaneous post-hydrothermal liquefaction wastewater (PHW) treatment and efficient hydrogen (H₂) production to meet biocrude upgrading requirements. Long-term single reactor operation revealed that fixed anode potential enabled rapid startup, and low catholyte pH and high salinity were effective in suppression of cathodic methanogenesis and acetogenesis – resulting in high current density of 16.6 A m –2 and 9.3 A m –2 when feeding synthetic wastewater and PHW respectively. Additionally, the anode biofilm exhibited spatial variations in response to local environmental conditions. In conclusion, onsite parallel or serial operations of multiple MECs showed good performance using actual PHW with a record-high H 2 production rate of 0.5 L L R day –1 for MEC over 10 liters scale, and the optimal chemical oxygen demand (COD)-to-H 2 yield reached 0.127 kg-H 2 per kg-COD, supporting a self-sufficient, closed-loop upgrade to jet fuel.

08 HYDROGEN↗

Insights From Dayflow: A Historical Streamflow Reanalysis Dataset for the Conterminous United States

Abstract Reconstructed historical streamflow time series can supplement limited streamflow gauge observations. However, there are common challenges of typical modeling approaches: process‐based hydrologic models can be data/computation‐intensive, and statistics‐based models can be region/stream‐specific. Here we present a nationally scalable modeling framework integrating the simulated runoff from the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model with the Routing Application for Parallel computatIon of Discharge (RAPID) routing model leveraging high‐performance computing. We demonstrate an efficient method of assimilating streamflow at US Geological Survey (USGS) streamflow monitoring sites using a simple hierarchical approach in the VIC‐RAPID framework. The result is a reconstructed 36‐year (1980–2015) daily and monthly streamflow dataset (Dayflow) at ∼2.7 million NHDPlusV2 stream reaches in the conterminous US (CONUS). We perform a comprehensive evaluation at 7,526 USGS sites and characterize their error statistics. The results demonstrate that 49% of the USGS sites demonstrate Kling–Gupta Efficiency (KGE) > 0.5 and 58% of the sites show percentage bias within ±20% for the daily naturalized streamflow. Streamflow data assimilation across CONUS shows an overall improvement over naturalized streamflow, notably in the western semiarid‐to‐arid regions. Comparison to other national and global streamflow reanalysis datasets such as the National Water Model and Global Reach‐scale A priori Discharge Estimates for SWOT demonstrates improved KGE, reduced bias, and directions for Dayflow improvements. Investigations of error statistics with key hydrologic, hydroclimatic, and geomorphologic basin characteristics reveal region‐specific patterns which may help improve future framework applications. Overall, Dayflow may enable a better understanding of hydrologic conditions in a changing environment, especially in locations currently not represented by streamflow monitoring networks.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

A broadband wavelet implementation for rapid ultrasound pulse-echo time-of-flight measurements

A broadband wavelet approach to ultrasonic pulse-echo time-of-flight measurements is described. The broadband approach significantly reduces the time required for frequency-dependent pulse-echo measurements, enabling studies of dynamic systems ranging from biological systems to solid-state phase transitions. The described broadband approach is demonstrated in parallel with the more traditional frequency stepping approach to perform ultrasound time-of-flight measurements inside a large volume Paris-Edinburgh press in-situ at a synchrotron source. The broadband wavelet data acquisition process was found to be 1-2 orders of magnitude faster than the steppedfrequency approach, with no compromise in data quality or determined results.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗