Aleph models continuum electrostatic and steady and transient thermal fields using a finite-element method. Much work has gone into expanding the core solver capability to support enriched modeling consisting of multiple interacting fields, special boundary conditions and two-way interfacial coupling with particles modeled using Aleph's complementary particle-in-cell capability. This report provides quantitative evidence for correct implementation of Aleph's field solver via order- of-convergence assessments on a collection of problems of increasing complexity. It is intended to provide Aleph with a pedigree and to establish a basis for confidence in results for more challenging problems important to Sandia's mission that Aleph was specifically designed to address.
We apply the Boltzmann-electron model in the electrostatic, particle-in-cell, finite- element code Aleph to a plasma sheath. By assuming a Boltzmann energy distribution for the electrons, the model eliminates the need to resolve the electron plasma fre- quency, and avoids the numerical "grid instability" that can cause unphysical heating of electrons. This allows much larger timesteps to be used than with kinetic electrons. Ions are treated with the standard PIC algorithm. The Boltzmann-electron model re- quires solution of a nonlinear Poisson equation, for which we use an iterative Newton solver (NOX) from the Trilinos Project. Results for the spatial variation of density and voltage in the plasma sheath agree well with an analytic model
Sandia's Dakota software (available at http://dakota.sandia.gov) supports science and engineering transformation through advanced exploration of simulations. Specifically it manages and analyzes ensembles of simulations to provide broader and deeper perspective for analysts and decision makers. This enables them to enhance understanding of risk, improve products, and assess simulation credibility. This manual offers Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors (LWRs) (CASL) partners a guide to conducting Dakota-based VUQ studies for CASL problems. It motivates various classes of Dakota methods and includes examples of their use on representative application problems. On reading, a CASL analyst should understand why and how to apply Dakota to a simulation problem. This SAND report constitutes the product of CASL milestone L3:VUQ.V&V.P8.01 and is also being released as a CASL unlimited release report with number CASL-U-2014-0038-000.
LIME is a small software package for creating multiphysics simulation codes. The name was formed as an acronym denoting 'Lightweight Integrating Multiphysics Environment for coupling codes.' LIME is intended to be especially useful when separate computer codes (which may be written in any standard computer language) already exist to solve different parts of a multiphysics problem. LIME provides the key high-level software (written in C++), a well defined approach (with example templates), and interface requirements to enable the assembly of multiple physics codes into a single coupled-multiphysics simulation code. In this report we introduce important software design characteristics of LIME, describe key components of a typical multiphysics application that might be created using LIME, and provide basic examples of its use - including the customized software that must be written by a user. We also describe the types of modifications that may be needed to individual physics codes in order for them to be incorporated into a LIME-based multiphysics application.
In the ACS Data Analytics Project (also known as 'YumYum'), a supercomputer is modeled as a graph of components and dependencies, jobs and faults are simulated, and component fault rates are estimated using the graph structure and job pass/fail outcomes. This report documents the successful completion of all SNL deliverables and tasks, describes the software written by SNL for the project, and presents the data it generates. Readers should understand what the software tools are, how they fit together, and how to use them to reproduce the presented data and additional experiments as desired. The SNL YumYum tools provide the novel simulation and inference capabilities desired by ACS. SNL also developed and implemented a new algorithm, which provides faster estimates, at finer component granularity, on arbitrary directed acyclic graphs.
The Lightweight Integrating Multi-physics Environment (LIME) is a software package for creating multi-physics simulation codes. Its primary application space is when computer codes are currently available to solve different parts of a multi-physics problem and now need to be coupled with other such codes. In this report we define a common domain language for discussing multi-physics coupling and describe the basic theory associated with multiphysics coupling algorithms that are to be supported in LIME. We provide an assessment of coupling techniques for both steady-state and time dependent coupled systems. Example couplings are also demonstrated.
This report describes the activities and results of a Sandia LDRD project whose objective was to develop and demonstrate foundational aspects of a next-generation nuclear reactor safety code that leverages advanced computational technology. The project scope was directed towards the systems-level modeling and simulation of an advanced, sodium cooled fast reactor, but the approach developed has a more general applicability. The major accomplishments of the LDRD are centered around the following two activities. (1) The development and testing of LIME, a Lightweight Integrating Multi-physics Environment for coupling codes that is designed to enable both 'legacy' and 'new' physics codes to be combined and strongly coupled using advanced nonlinear solution methods. (2) The development and initial demonstration of BRISC, a prototype next-generation nuclear reactor integrated safety code. BRISC leverages LIME to tightly couple the physics models in several different codes (written in a variety of languages) into one integrated package for simulating accident scenarios in a liquid sodium cooled 'burner' nuclear reactor. Other activities and accomplishments of the LDRD include (a) further development, application and demonstration of the 'non-linear elimination' strategy to enable physics codes that do not provide residuals to be incorporated into LIME, (b) significant extensions of the RIO CFD code capabilities, (c) complex 3D solid modeling and meshing of major fast reactor components and regions, and (d) an approach for multi-physics coupling across non-conformal mesh interfaces.