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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 55 records · Page 3

Nonlinear programming optimization of a single-stack electrodialysis desalination system for cost efficiency

Electrodialysis (ED) presents a competitive method for desalinating brackish waters. In this work, we perform cost optimization of a single-stack ED system across a range of feed salinities and water recoveries while optimizing operating voltage, number of cell pairs, and cell length. The results of our optimization show that the levelized cost of water (LCOW) increases with an increase in feed salinity. The outcomes of our optimization show that cost-optimal design generally increases cell length while decreasing cell pair number and operating voltage with an increase in salinity. These trends are nonlinear, with the number of cell pairs and applied voltage exhibiting local maxima when operating at low salinity and high recovery. We discuss the underlying mechanism for cell length becoming a leveraging design parameter by inspecting the length-dependent profiles of key electrochemical properties of the ED cell. Finally, we present how increasing performance metrics and decreasing costs impact LCOW, demonstrating that innovations that decrease counter-current diffusion have resulted in the highest decrease of LCOW.

42 ENGINEERING↗

A nonlinear programming approach for optimizing two-stage lifting vehicle ascent to orbit

An optimal atmospheric flight branched trajectory-shaping capability is presented based on the Davidon-Fletcher-Powell variable metric parameter optimization technique. Gradient information is generated using finite difference methods. A typical atmospheric flight branched optimization problem is analyzed which requires the determination of 31 parameters. This parameter set includes the three-dimensional description of vehicle attitude control angles for three branches of flight: first-stage ascent, second-stage ascent, and first-stage flyback. The important inflight inequality contraints required to maintain the integrity of the vehicles are considered. Some of the numerical methods employed are discussed, along with several new auxiliary techniques developed to improve the compatibility of the numerical gradient and iterator.

Kamm, J. L.↗

Optimum sensitivity derivatives of objective functions in nonlinear programming

The feasibility of eliminating second derivatives from the input of optimum sensitivity analyses of optimization problems is demonstrated. This elimination restricts the sensitivity analysis to the first-order sensitivity derivatives of the objective function. It is also shown that when a complete first-order sensitivity analysis is performed, second-order sensitivity derivatives of the objective function are available at little additional cost. An expression is derived whose application to linear programming is presented.

Barthelemy, J.-F. M.↗

Dynamic structural correlation via nonlinear programming techniques

A solution to the correlation between structural dynamic test results and finite element analyses of the same components is presented in this paper. Basically, the method can be categorized as a Levenberg-Marquardt type Gauss-Newton method which requires only the differences between FE modal analyses and test results and their first derivatives with respect to preassigned design variables. With proper variable normalization and equation scaling, the method has been made numerically better-conditioned and the inclusion of the Levenberg-Marquardt technique overcomes any remaining difficulty encountered in inverting singular or near-singular matrices. An important feature is that each iteration requires only one function evaluation along with the associated design sensitivity analysis and so the procedure is computationally efficient.

Ting, T.↗

Comparison of Traditional Design Nonlinear Programming Optimization and Stochastic Methods for Structural Design

Structural design generated by traditional method, optimization method and the stochastic design concept are compared. In the traditional method, the constraints are manipulated to obtain the design and weight is back calculated. In design optimization, the weight of a structure becomes the merit function with constraints imposed on failure modes and an optimization algorithm is used to generate the solution. Stochastic design concept accounts for uncertainties in loads, material properties, and other parameters and solution is obtained by solving a design optimization problem for a specified reliability. Acceptable solutions were produced by all the three methods. The variation in the weight calculated by the methods was modest. Some variation was noticed in designs calculated by the methods. The variation may be attributed to structural indeterminacy. It is prudent to develop design by all three methods prior to its fabrication. The traditional design method can be improved when the simplified sensitivities of the behavior constraint is used. Such sensitivity can reduce design calculations and may have a potential to unify the traditional and optimization methods. Weight versus reliabilitytraced out an inverted-S-shaped graph. The center of the graph corresponded to mean valued design. A heavy design with weight approaching infinity could be produced for a near-zero rate of failure. Weight can be reduced to a small value for a most failure-prone design. Probabilistic modeling of load and material properties remained a challenge.

Patnaik, Surya N.↗

Mathematical Programming Models for Shale Oil & Gas Development: A Review and Perspective

Here, in this paper, we provide a comprehensive review of mathematical programming models for shale oil & gas development, and we offer a perspective on outstanding research opportunities. We distinguish contributions in five major topic areas, namely: (1) development planning, (2) water management, (3) production optimization, (4) supplies, gathering & processing, and (5) life cycle analysis & sustainability. We highlight how various types of mathematical programming models (i.e., linear programs, nonlinear programs, mixed-integer linear programs, mixed-integer nonlinear programs) have been proposed primarily by the Process Systems Engineering community to address the respective decision-making problems, and we highlight instances of successful deployment in industry. Finally, based on a critical assessment of the existing body of work, we identify opportunities for future research across the major topic areas.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Nonlinear Curve-Fitting Program

Nonlinear optimization algorithm helps in finding best-fit curve. Nonlinear Curve Fitting Program, NLINEAR, interactive curve-fitting routine based on description of quadratic expansion of X(sup 2) statistic. Utilizes nonlinear optimization algorithm calculating best statistically weighted values of parameters of fitting function and X(sup 2) minimized. Provides user with such statistical information as goodness of fit and estimated values of parameters producing highest degree of correlation between experimental data and mathematical model. Written in FORTRAN 77.

Everhart, Joel L.↗

Exponential Decay in the Sensitivity Analysis of Nonlinear Dynamic Programming

In this report, we study the sensitivity of discrete-time dynamic programs with nonlinear dynamics and objective to perturbations in the initial conditions and reference parameters. Under uniform controllability and boundedness assumptions for the problem data, we prove that the directional derivative of the optimal state and control at time $k$, $x^*_k$, and $u^*_k$, with respect to the reference signal at time $i$, $d_i$, will have exponential decay in terms of $|k-i|$ with a decay rate $\rho$ independent of the temporal horizon length. The key technical step is to prove that a version of the convexification approach proposed by Verschueren et al. can be applied to the KKT conditions and results in a convex quadratic program with uniformly bounded data. In turn, Riccati techniques can be further employed to obtain the sensitivity result, borne from the observation that the directional derivatives are solutions of quadratic programs with structure similar to the KKT conditions themselves. We validate our findings with numerical experiments on a small nonlinear, nonconvex, dynamic program.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Program Predicts Nonlinear Inverter Performance

Program developed for ac power distribution system on Shuttle orbiter predicts total load on inverters and node voltages at each of line replaceable units (LRU's). Mathematical model simulates inverter performance at each change of state in power distribution system.

Al-Ayoubi, R. R.↗