Efficient Multi-Scale Radiation Transport Modeling

Radiative heat transfer is a dominant mode of heat transfer in combustion and propulsion systems as well as for hypersonic flow encountered during planetary entry. Solution of the Radiative Transfer Equation (RTE), which is an integro-differential equation, places stringent requirements on the computational resources as: (a) the radiation depends both on spatial and angular dimensions, (b) radiation transfer occurs over a wide spectral range (multi-group), and (c) the participating often exhibits strong dependence on the local flow properties leading to a wide variation in the optical thickness (multi-scale). Efficient numerical algorithms and solvers to address issues of accuracy and computational time are much needed. In this proposal, we seek to unite two powerful techniques in contemporary scientific computing: (1) The discontinuous Galerkin methods, and (2) Graphical processor (GPU) programming, with advances in the prediction of radiative gas dynamics. HyPerComp Inc. has teamed with subject-matter experts, UCLA – who would provide their expertise in development of radiation gas models and validation cases, and Brown University – who would provide their expertise in GPU computing specialized for DG methods to expand upon HyPerComp’s core expertise in developing innovative algorithms and techniques in high-performance-computing, commercialization and distribution for industrial use through strategic partnerships. BENEFIT: The proposed research would result in major breakthrough and a paradigm-shift in how radiative transport equation is solved, from using CPUs to using GPUs, which would be cheaper and at the same time order of magnitude faster. A fast, robust, and accurate RTE solver would find numerous commercial applications such as analysis of exhaust gases in stationery power plants, simulation of photobioreactors to accurately modeling light absorption and scattering by microorganisms and bubbles, radiative analysis of furnaces to minimize energy loss and pollution emissions etc., as well as military and aerospace applications related to thermal analysis of combustion and propulsion systems and target detection and identification (remote sensing).