Automated Geometry and Mesh Updates for Accelerator Shape Optimization

Accelerators are complex scientific instruments requiring significant resources and effort to de- sign and build. At the largest scale, accelerators for use in physics discovery are billion-dollar- class facilities that take decades to develop. Medical accelerators can cost millions of dollars. Other electromagnetic applications include threat detection, antenna design, wireless device de- sign, and the treatment of cancer. Advanced simulation codes have been developed for these sys- tems which also include the ability to determine the optimal shape for electromagnetic compo- nents using advanced optimization techniques. However, the current optimization process is not suitable for general usage due to limitations on how it implements geometry and mesh updates needed for the simulation. By providing fully automatic geometry and mesh updates that inte- grate with the overall simulation process, this project will make these powerful design tools available to a wide audience. This project will develop software components that enable the fully automatic geometry optimi- zation of accelerator and other electromagnetic systems. Specific capabilities to be developed will provide the ability to: Define shape optimization parameters on an existing geometric model of a component and up- date the geometry based on changes to those parameters. Automatically update the computational mesh based on changes to the geometric model shape. Give all the necessary input to the shape optimization procedures. Integrate with the simulation codes and optimization process to provide fully automatic shape optimization capabilities.Commercial Applications and Other Benefits: The project will provide industry, government labs and universities an effective means to take full advantage of existing parallel simulation software. It is only through the development and introduction of these geometry and meshing technologies that industry can broadly integrate high performance parallel simulations into their design processes. The availability of truly automatic shape optimization procedures will enable more efficient and higher performance designs to be quickly realized, providing savings both in the design process and in operation.