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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.

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At least 523 records · Page 29
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2018

Similarity-transformed equation-of-motion vibrational coupled-cluster theory

A similarity-transformed equation-of-motion vibrational coupled-cluster (STEOM-XVCC) method is introduced as a one-mode theory with an effective vibrational Hamiltonian, which is similarity transformed twice so that its lower-order operators are dressed with higher-order anharmonic effects. The first transformation uses an exponential excitation operator, defining the equation-of-motion vibrational coupled-cluster (EOM-XVCC) method, and the second uses an exponential excitation-deexcitation operator. From diagonalization of this doubly similarity-transformed Hamiltonian in the small one-mode excitation space, the method simultaneously computes accurate anharmonic vibrational frequencies of all fundamentals, which have unique significance in vibrational analyses. We establish a diagrammatic method of deriving the working equations of STEOM-XVCC and prove their connectedness and thus size-consistency as well as the exact equality of its frequencies with the corresponding roots of EOM-XVCC. We furthermore elucidate the similarities and differences between electronic and vibrational STEOM methods and between STEOM-XVCC and vibrational many-body Green’s function theory based on the Dyson equation, which is also an anharmonic one-mode theory. The latter comparison inspires three approximate STEOM-XVCC methods utilizing the common approximations made in the Dyson equation: the diagonal approximation, a perturbative expansion of the Dyson self-energy, and the frequency-independent approximation. The STEOM-XVCC method including up to the simultaneous four-mode excitation operator in a quartic force field and its three approximate variants are formulated and implemented in computer codes with the aid of computer algebra, and they are applied to small test cases with varied degrees of anharmonicit

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2020

Accelerating the solution of the S N equations with highly anisotropic scattering using the Fokker-Planck approximation

The discrete ordinates method can model forward-peaked transport problems accurately. However, convergence of discrete ordinates solution can become arbitrarily slow upon use of standard iterative procedures like source iteration. Standard zeroth and first moment-based acceleration methods like nonlinear diffusion acceleration and diffusion synthetic acceleration are ineffective in accelerating such problems because these methods do not correct higher order Legendre-moments of angular flux. In this paper, we explore the idea of using the Fokker-Planck approximation as a preconditioner to accelerate the convergence of solution of forward-peaked transport problems. Finally, we observe that such preconditioning can successfully reduce the iteration count by up to four orders of magnitude, and solver runtime by up to three orders of magnitude when compared to diffusion synthetic acceleration.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2019

Simulating X-ray Absorption Spectra with Linear-Response Density Cumulant Theory

We present a new approach for simulating X-ray absorption spectra based on linear-response density cumulant theory (LR-DCT) [Copan, A. V.; Sokolov, A. Yu. J. Chem. Theory Comput. 2018, 14, 4097–4108]. Our new method combines the LR-ODC-12 formulation of LR-DCT with core- valence separation approximation (CVS) that allows us to efficiently access high-energy core-excited states. We describe our computer implementation of the CVS-approximated LRODC-12 method (CVS-ODC-12) and benchmark its performance by comparing simulated X-ray absorption spectra to those obtained from experiment for several small molecules. Our results demonstrate that the CVS-ODC-12 method shows good agreement with experiment for relative spacings between transitions and their intensities, but the excitation energies are systematically overestimated. When compared to results from excited-state coupled cluster methods with single and double excitations, the CVS-ODC-12 method shows a similar performance for intensities and peak separations, while coupled cluster spectra are less shifted, relative to experiment. An important advantage of CVS-ODC-12 is that its excitation energies are computed by diagonalizing a Hermitian matrix, which enables efficient computation of transition intensities.

Peng, Ruojing↗
DOE OSTI2017

Regulation of Renewable Energy Sources to Optimal Power Flow Solutions Using ADMM

This paper considers power distribution systems featuring renewable energy sources (RESs), and develops a distributed optimization method to steer the RES output powers to solutions of AC optimal power flow (OPF) problems. The design of the proposed method leverages suitable linear approximations of the AC-power flow equations, and is based on the Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers (ADMM). Convergence of the RES-inverter output powers to solutions of the OPF problem is established under suitable conditions on the stepsize as well as mismatches between the commanded setpoints and actual RES output powers. In a broad sense, the methods and results proposed here are also applicable to other distributed optimization problem setups with ADMM and inexact dual updates.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2018

Comparison of approximate solutions to the phonon Boltzmann transport equation with the relaxation time approximation: Spherical harmonics expansions and the discrete ordinates method

In this study, the phonon Boltzmann transport equation is used to analyze model problems in one and two spatial dimensions, under transient and steady-state conditions. New, explicit solutions are obtained by using the P 1 and P 3 approximations, based on expansions in spherical harmonics, and are compared with solutions from the discrete ordinates method. For steady-state energy transfer, it is shown that analytic expressions derived using the P 1 and P 3 approximations agree quantitatively with the discrete ordinates method, in some cases for large Knudsen numbers, and always for Knudsen numbers less than unity. However, for time-dependent energy transfer, the P N solutions differ qualitatively from converged solutions obtained by the discrete ordinates method. Although they correctly capture the wave-like behavior of energy transfer at short times, the P 1 and P 3 approximations rely on one or two wave velocities, respectively, yielding abrupt, step-changes in temperature profiles that are absent when the angular dependence of the phonon velocities is captured more completely. It is shown that, with the gray approximation, the P 1 approximation is formally equivalent to the so-called “hyperbolic heat equation.” In conclusion, these results support the use of the P N approximation to find solutions to the phonon Boltzmann transport equation for steady-state conditions. Such solutions can be useful in the design and analysis of devices that involve heat transfer at nanometer length scales, where continuum-scale approaches become inaccurate.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2017

Filters for Improvement of Multiscale Data from Atomistic Simulations

Multiscale computational models strive to produce accurate and efficient numerical simulations of systems involving interactions across multiple spatial and temporal scales that typically differ by several orders of magnitude. Some such models utilize a hybrid continuum-atomistic approach combining continuum approximations with first-principles-based atomistic models to capture multiscale behavior. By following the heterogeneous multiscale method framework for developing multiscale computational models, unknown continuum scale data can be computed from an atomistic model. Concurrently coupling the two models requires performing numerous atomistic simulations which can dominate the computational cost of the method. Furthermore, when the resulting continuum data is noisy due to sampling error, stochasticity in the model, or randomness in the initial conditions, filtering can result in significant accuracy gains in the computed multiscale data without increasing the size or duration of the atomistic simulations. In this work, we demonstrate the effectiveness of spectral filtering for increasing the accuracy of noisy multiscale data obtained from atomistic simulations. Moreover, we present a robust and automatic method for closely approximating the optimum level of filtering in the case of additive white noise. By improving the accuracy of this filtered simulation data, it leads to a dramatic computational savings by allowing for shorter and smaller atomistic simulations to achieve the same desired multiscale simulation precision.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2016

Transfer reaction code with nonlocal interactions

Here, we present a suite of codes (NLAT for nonlocal adiabatic transfer) to calculate the transfer cross section for single-nucleon transfer reactions, (d,N) or (N,d), including nonlocal nucleon-target interactions, within the adiabatic distorted wave approximation. For this purpose, we implement an iterative method for solving the second order nonlocal differential equation, for both scattering and bound states. The final observables that can be obtained with NLAT are dif- ferential angular distributions for the cross sections of A(d,N)B or B(N,d)A. Details on the implementation of the T-matrix to obtain the final cross sections within the adiabatic distorted wave approximation method are also provided. This code is suitable to be applied for deuteron induced reactions in the range of E d = 10–70 MeV, and provides cross sections with 4% accuracy.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2016

Importance sampling variance reduction for the Fokker–Planck rarefied gas particle method

The Fokker–Planck approximation to the Boltzmann equation, solved numerically by stochastic particle schemes, is used to provide estimates for rarefied gas flows. This paper presents a variance reduction technique for a stochastic particle method that is able to greatly reduce the uncertainty of the estimated flow fields when the characteristic speed of the flow is small in comparison to the thermal velocity of the gas. The method relies on importance sampling, requiring minimal changes to the basic stochastic particle scheme. We test the importance sampling scheme on a homogeneous relaxation, planar Couette flow and a lid-driven-cavity flow, and find that our method is able to greatly reduce the noise of estimated quantities. Significantly, we find that as the characteristic speed of the flow decreases, the variance of the noisy estimators becomes independent of the characteristic speed.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Identifying finite-time coherent sets from limited quantities of Lagrangian data

A data-driven procedure for identifying the dominant transport barriers in a time-varying flow from limited quantities of Lagrangian data is presented. Our approach partitions state space into coherent pairs, which are sets of initial conditions chosen to minimize the number of trajectories that “leak” from one set to the other under the influence of a stochastic flow field during a pre-specified interval in time. In practice, this partition is computed by solving an optimization problem to obtain a pair of functions whose signs determine set membership. From prior experience with synthetic, “data rich” test problems, and conceptually related methods based on approximations of the Perron-Frobenius operator, we observe that the functions of interest typically appear to be smooth. We exploit this property by using the basis sets associated with spectral or “mesh-free” methods, and as a result, our approach has the potential to more accurately approximate these functions given a fixed amount of data. In practice, this could enable better approximations of the coherent pairs in problems with relatively limited quantities of Lagrangian data, which is usually the case with experimental geophysical data. We apply this method to three examples of increasing complexity: The first is the double gyre, the second is the Bickley Jet, and the third is data from numerically simulated drifters in the Sulu Sea.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2021

Fermi-Löwdin-orbital self-interaction correction using the optimized-effective-potential method within the Krieger-Li-Iafrate approximation

Perdew-Zunger self-interaction correction (PZ-SIC) offers a route to remove self interaction errors on an orbital-by-orbital basis. A recent formulation of PZ-SIC by Pederson, Ruzsinszky and Perdew proposes restricting the unitary transformation to localized orbitals called Fermi-Löwdin orbitals. This formulation, called the FLOSIC method, simplifies PZ-SIC calculations and was implemented self-consistently using a Jacobi-like (FLOSIC-Jacobi) iteration scheme. In this work we implement the FLOSIC approach using the Krieger-Li-Iafrate (KLI) approximation to the optimized effective potential (OEP). We compare the results of present FLOSIC-KLI approach with FLOSIC-Jacobi scheme for atomic energies, atomization energies, ionization energies, barrier heights, polarizability of chains of hydrogen molecules etc. to validate the FLOSIC-KLI approach. The FLOSICKLI approach, which is within the realm of Kohn-Sham theory, predicts smaller energy gaps between frontier orbitals due to the lowering of eigenvalues of the lowest unoccupied orbitals. Results show that atomic energies, atomization energies, ionization energy as an absolute of highest occupied orbital eigenvalue, and polarizability of chains of hydrogen molecules between the two methods agree within 2%. Lastly the FLOSIC-KLI approach is used to determine the vertical ionization energies of water clusters.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Solving a class of infinite-dimensional tensor eigenvalue problems by translational invariant tensor ring approximations

Here, we examine a method for solving an infinite-dimensional tensor eigenvalue problem Hx = λx, where the infinite-dimensional symmetric matrix H exhibits a translational invariant structure. We provide a formulation of this type of problem from a numerical linear algebra point of view and describe how a power method applied to e -Ht is used to obtain an approximation to the desired eigenvector. This infinite-dimensional eigenvector is represented in a compact way by a translational invariant infinite Tensor Ring (iTR). Low rank approximation is used to keep the cost of subsequent power iterations bounded while preserving the iTR structure of the approximate eigenvector. We show how the averaged Rayleigh quotient of an iTR eigenvector approximation can be efficiently computed and introduce a projected residual to monitor its convergence. In the numerical examples, we illustrate that the norm of this projected iTR residual can also be used to automatically modify the time step to ensure accurate and rapid convergence of the power method.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2017

A simple finite element method for non-divergence form elliptic equation

Here, we develop a simple finite element method for solving second order elliptic equations in non-divergence form by combining least squares concept with discontinuous approximations. This simple method has a symmetric and positive definite system and can be easily analyzed and implemented. We could have also used general meshes with polytopal element and hanging node in the method. We prove that our finite element solution approaches to the true solution when the mesh size approaches to zero. Numerical examples are tested that demonstrate the robustness and flexibility of the method.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2021

A Massively Parallel Implementation of the CCSD(T) Method Using the Resolution-of-the-Identity Approximation and a Hybrid Distributed/Shared Memory Parallelization Model

In this work, a parallel algorithm is described for the coupled-cluster singles and doubles method augmented with a perturbative correction for triple excitations [CCSD(T)] using the resolution-of-the-identity (RI) approximation for two-electron repulsion integrals (ERIs). The algorithm bypasses the storage of four-center ERIs by adopting an integral-direct strategy. The CCSD amplitude equations are given in a compact quasi-linear form by factorizing them in terms of amplitude-dressed three-center intermediates. A hybrid MPI/OpenMP parallelization scheme is employed, which uses the OpenMP-based shared memory model for intranode parallelization and the MPI-based distributed memory model for internode parallelization. Parallel efficiency has been optimized for all terms in the CCSD amplitude equations. Two different algorithms have been implemented for the rate-limiting terms in the CCSD amplitude equations that entail and -scaling computational costs, where N O and N V denote the number of correlated occupied and virtual orbitals, respectively. One of the algorithms assembles the four-center ERIs requiring N V 4 and N O 2 N V 2 -scaling memory costs in a distributed manner on a number of MPI ranks, while the other algorithm completely bypasses the assembling of quartic memory-scaling ERIs and thus largely reduces the memory demand. It is demonstrated that the former memory-expensive algorithm is faster on a few hundred cores, while the latter memory-economic algorithm shows a better strong scaling in the limit of a few thousand cores. The program is shown to exhibit a near-linear scaling, in particular for the compute-intensive triples correction step, on up to 8000 cores. The performance of the program is demonstrated via calculations involving molecules with 24–51 atoms and up to 1624 atomic basis functions. As the first application, the complete basis set (CBS) limit for the interaction energy of the π-stacked uracil dimer from the S66 data set has been investigated. This work reports the first calculation of the interaction energy at the CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVQZ level without local orbital approximation. The CBS limit for the CCSD correlation contribution to the interaction energy was found to be -8.01 kcal/mol, which agrees very well with the value -7.99 kcal/mol reported by Schmitz, Hättig, and Tew [ Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2014 , 16 , 22167-22178]. The CBS limit for the total interaction energy was estimated to be -9.64 kcal/mol.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2019

Conforming window functions for meshfree methods

Window functions provide a base for the construction of approximation functions in many meshfree methods. They control the smoothness and extent of the approximation functions and are commonly defined using Euclidean distances which helps eliminate the need for a meshed discretization, simplifying model development for some classes of problems. However, for problems with complicated geometries such as nonconvex or multi-body domains, poor solution accuracy and convergence can occur unless the extents of the window functions, and thus approximation functions, are carefully controlled, often a time consuming or intractable task. Here in this paper, we present a method to provide more control in window function design, allowing efficient and systematic handling of complex geometries. “Conforming” window functions are constructed using Bernstein–Bézier splines defined on local triangulations with constraints imposed to control smoothness. Graph distances are used in conjunction with Euclidean metrics to provide adequate information for shaping the window functions. The conforming window functions are demonstrated using the Reproducing Kernel Particle Method showing improved accuracy and convergence rates for problems with challenging geometries. Conforming window functions are also demonstrated as a means to simplify the imposition of essential boundary conditions.

, rapid design-to-analysis↗
DOE OSTI2022

Control Design for a Marine Hydrokinetic Cycloturbine Vehicle

Abstract Marine Hydrokinetic (MHK) cycloturbines generate sustainable power by exploiting tidal currents. By powering the turbines and using pitching foils for control, a vehicle comprised of MHK cycloturbines also has the ability to station keep and maneuver. The vehicle consists of four counter-rotating cycloturbines, with hydrofoils oriented perpendicular to the flow in a paddlewheel configuration. Lift and drag generated from these foils sum together to produce thrust. An experimentally tuned simulation model that solves the six-degrees-of-freedom rigid body equations of motion for the MHK vehicle subject to hydrodynamic, hydrostatic, and propulsive forces is used to aid the design of vehicle controllers. Global feedback controllers are initially designed by applying classical control methods to an approximate linear model of the system dynamics. A higher performing nonlinear controller is designed using the nonlinear dynamic inversion (NDI) method. NDI accounts for the nonlinearities of the MHK system and therefore is suitable for a wide range of operating conditions. The response of the classical and NDI controllers to speed, depth, roll, pitch, and yaw commands are evaluated and compared in simulation. The classical controller outperforms the NDI controller for small amplitude maneuvers, although the degradation with NDI is minor. However, in the nonlinear operating regime the NDI controller outperforms the classical controller and the classical controller exhibits instability.

Automation & Control Systems↗
DOE OSTI2016

Quantum Monte Carlo analysis of a charge ordered insulating antiferromagnet: The Ti 4 O 7 Magneli phase

The Magneli phase Ti 4 O 7 is an important transition metal oxide with a wide range of applications because of its interplay between charge, spin, and lattice degrees of freedom. At low temperatures, it has non-trivial magnetic states very close in energy, driven by electronic exchange and correlation interactions. We have examined three low- lying states, one ferromagnetic and two antiferromagnetic, and calculated their energies as well as Ti spin moment distributions using highly accurate Quantum Monte Carlo methods. We compare our results to those obtained from density functional theory- based methods that include approximate corrections for exchange and correlation. Our results confirm the nature of the states and their ordering in energy, as compared with density-functional theory methods. However, the energy differences and spin distributions differ. Here, a detailed analysis suggests that non-local exchange-correlation functionals, in addition to other approximations such as LDA+U to account for correlations, are needed to simultaneously obtain better estimates for spin moments, distributions, energy differences and energy gaps.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Wavefront shaping with a Hadamard basis for scattering soil imaging

Here, soil is a scattering medium that inhibits imaging of plant-microbial-mineral interactions that are essential to plant health and soil carbon sequestration. However, optical imaging in the complex medium of soil has been stymied by the seemingly intractable problems of scattering and contrast. Here, we develop a wavefront shaping method based on adaptive stochastic parallel gradient descent optimization with a Hadamard basis to focus light through soil mineral samples. Our approach allows a sparse representation of the wavefront with reduced dimensionality for the optimization. We further divide the used Hadamard basis set into subsets and optimize a certain subset at once. Simulation and experimental optimization results demonstrate our method has an approximately seven times higher convergence rate and overall better performance compared to that with optimizing all pixels at once. The proposed method can benefit other high-dimensional optimization problems in adaptive optics and wavefront shaping.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2018

SAFR/V1 (EVKLID/V2 Integral Code Module) Aided Simulation of Melt Movement Along the Surface of a Fuel Element in a Fast Reactor During a Serious Accident

The basic approaches used in the SAFR/V1 module of the integral code EVKLID/V2 to simulate the movement of the melt formed upon melting of fuel elements are presented. The system of mass, energy, and momentum conservation equations used to simulate the movement of melt is presented. Special attention is devoted to methods of numerical approximation of the equations as well as to the solution of problems involving smearing of the solution at the melt boundary. The realized methods of stimulating the motion of melt have been verified on the basis of tests with known analytical solutions.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗