Academic literature on the topic 'Simulation Method'

The continual growth of computing power in small devices has motivated the development of novel approaches to optimizing operational systems efficiently and effectively. These optimization problems are often so complex that solving them analytically may be difficult, if not prohibited. One method for solving such problems is to use online simulation. However, challenges in using online simulation include the issues of responsiveness (e.g., because of communication delays), scalability, and failure resistance. To tackle these issues, this study proposes embedding online simulations into a network of sensors that monitors the system under investigation. This thesis explores an approach termed “ad hoc distributed simulation,” which is based on embedding online simulations into a sensor network and adding communication and synchronization among simulators to model operational systems. This approach offers several potential advantages over existing approaches: (1) it can provide rapid response to system dynamics as well as efficiency since data exchange is local to the sensor network, (2) it can achieve better scalability to incorporate more sensors, and (3) it can provide better robustness to failures because portions of the system are still under local control. This research addresses several statistical issues in this ad hoc approach: (1) rapid and effective estimation of the input processes at model boundaries, (2) estimation of system-wide performance measures from individual simulator outputs, and (3) correction mechanisms responding to unexpected events or inaccuracies within the model. This thesis examines ad hoc distributed simulation analytically and experimentally, mainly focusing on the accuracy of predicting the performance of open queueing networks. First, the analytical part formalizes the ad hoc approach and evaluates its accuracy at modeling certain class of open queueing networks with regard to the steady-state system performance measures. This work concerning steady-state metrics is extended to a broader class of networks by an empirical study, which presents evidence to show that the ad hoc approach can generate predictions comparable to those from sequential simulations. Furthermore, a “buffered-area” mechanism is proposed to substantially reduce prediction bias with a moderate increase in execution time. In addition to those steady-state studies, another empirical study targets the prediction accuracy of the ad hoc approach at open queueing networks with short-term system-state transients. This study demonstrates that, with slight modification to the prior design of the ad hoc queueing simulation method for those steady-state studies, system dynamics can be well modeled. The results, again, support the conclusion that the ad hoc approach is competitive to the sequential simulation method in terms of prediction accuracy.

In the numerical simulation of fluid flow and solute transport in porous media, finite element method (FEM) has long been utilized and has been proven to be efficient. In this work, an alternative approach called random walk particle tracking (RWPT) method is proposed. In this method, a finite number of particles represent the distribution of a solute mass. Each particle carries a certain fraction of the total mass and moves in the porous media according to the velocity field. The proposed RWPT model is established on a scientific software platform OpenGeoSys (OGS), which is an open source initiative for numerical simulation of thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical (THMC) processes in porous media. The flow equation is solved using finite element method in OGS. The obtained hydraulic heads are numerically differentiated to obtain the velocity field. The particle tracking method does not solve the transport equation directly but deals with it in a physically stochastic manner by using the velocity field. Parallel computing concept is included in the model implementation to promote computational efficiency. Several benchmarks are developed for the particle tracking method in OGS to simulate solute transport in porous media and pore space. The simulation results are compared to analytical solutions and other numerical methods to test the presented method. The particle tracking method can accommodate Darcy flow as it is the main consideration in groundwater flow. Furthermore, other flow processes such as Forchheimer flow or Richards flow can be combined with as well. Two applications indicate the capability of the method to handle theoretical real-world problems. This method can be applied as a tool to elicit and discern the detailed structure of evolving contaminant plumes<br>Bei der numerischen Simulation von Strömung und Stofftransport in porösen Medien hat die Nutzung der Finite-Elemente-Methode (FEM) eine lange Tradition und wird sich als effizient erweisen. In dieser Arbeit wird ein alternativer Ansatz, die random walk particle tracking (RWPT) Methode vorgeschlagen. Bei diesem Verfahren stellt eine endliche Anzahl von Partikeln die Verteilung eines gelösten Stoffes dar. Jedes Teilchen trägt einen bestimmten Bruchteil der Gesamtmasse und bewegt sich in den porösen Medien gemäß des Geschwindigkeitsfeldes. Das vorgeschlagene RWPT Modell basiert auf der wissenschaftlichen Softwareplattform OpenGeoSys (OGS), die eine Open-Source-Initiative für die numerische Simulation thermo-hydro-mechanisch-chemischen (THMC) in porösen Medien darstellt. Die Strömungsgleichung wird in OGS mit der Finite-Elemente-Methode gelöst. Der Grundwasserstand wird numerisch berechnet, um das Geschwindigkeitsfeld zu erhalten. Die Partikel-Tracking-Methode löst die Transportgleichung nicht direkt, sondern befasst sich mit ihr in einer physikalisch stochastische Weise unter Nutzung des Geschwindigkeitsfeldes. Zur Berücksichtigung der Recheneffizienz ist ein Parallel Computing-Konzept in der Modell-Implementierung enthalten. Zur Simulation des Stofftransports in porösen Medien und im Porenraum wurden mehrere Benchmarks für die Partikel-Tracking-Methode in OGS entwickelt. Die Simulationsergebnisse werden mit analytischen Lösungen und andere numerische Methoden verglichen, um die Aussagefähigkeit des vorgestellten Verfahrens zu bestätigen. Mit der Partikel-Tracking-Methode kann die Darcy-Strömung gelöst werden, die das wichtigste Kriterium in der Grundwasserströmung ist. Außerdem bewältigt die Methode auch andere Strömungsprozesse, wie die Forchheimer-Strömung und die Richards-Strömung. Zwei Anwendungen zeigen die Leistungsfähigkeit der Methode bei der prinzipiellen Handhabung von Problemen der realen Welt. Die Methode kann als ein Instrument zur Aufdeckung Erkennung der detaillierte Struktur von sich entwickelnden Schadstofffahnenangewendet werden

The Cartesian grid method is an alternative to the existing methods to solve a physical problem governed by partial differential equations (PDEs) computationally. Researchers are interested in this method due to its simplicity of grid generation,  less computational effort and ease of implementation into a computer code. One of the other options to solve a physical PDE problem is by the body-fitted grid method. In the body-fitted grid method, the boundary points are grid points. This is not the case with the Cartesian grid method where the body wall is embedded as a boundary into a Cartesian grid resultingin irregular cells near the embedded boundary. These irregular cells near the embedded boundary are known as cut-cells. Instead of using special treatmentsof the cut-cells or enforcing the presence of the embedded boundary by adding source terms at the Cartesian grid points near the boundary, the kinematic and other boundary conditions can be introduced in the Cartesian grid method via ghost points. Those grid points which lie inside the embedded boundary and are also a part of computation are called ghost points. Inactive grid points inside the embedded boundary are referred to as solid points. In the present Cartesian grid method, based on a ghost point treatment, local symmetry conditions are imposed at the embedded wall boundary. The ghost point treatments available in the literature are difficult to implement due to complex procedures. We are introducing a new approach to approximate the kinematics of the embedded boundary by a very simple ghost point treatment called the simplified ghost point treatment. In this approach, we consider the grid lines in the x- and y- directions as approximations of the lines normal to the embedded boundary depending on whether the angle between the normal and the x- or y-directions is closer. For 1D hyperbolic nonlinear systems of conservation laws, we use the moving normal shock wave as a test case for the 1D compressible Euler equations.For the 2D compressible Euler equations, we test the simplified ghost point treatment for an oblique shock wave generated by a wedge. Then, we verified our approach for slender bodies, namely for supersonic flow over a circular arc airfoil and for transonic flow over a circular arc bump in a channel. In a final problem, we applied the simplified ghost point treatment to blunt body flow and considered supersonic flows over a cylinder using the 2D compressible Euler and Navier-Stokes equations. The results are good or comparable to those found in the existing literature.