Achieving High Speed CFD simulations: Optimization, Parallelization, and FPGA Acceleration for the unstructured DLR TAU Code

Today, large scale parallel simulations are fundamental tools to handle complex problems. The number of processors in current computation platforms has been recently increased and therefore it is necessary to optimize the application performance and to enhance the scalability of massively-parallel systems. In addition, new heterogeneous architectures, combining conventional processors with specific hardware, like FPGAs, to accelerate the most time consuming functions are considered as a strong alternative to boost the performance. In this paper, the performance of the DLR TAU code is analyzed and optimized. The improvement of the code efficiency is addressed through three key activities: Optimization, parallelization and hardware acceleration. At first, a profiling analysis of the most time-consuming processes of the Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes flow solver on a three-dimensional unstructured mesh is performed. Then, a study of the code scalability with new partitioning algorithms are tested to show the most suitable partitioning algorithms for the selected applications. Finally, a feasibility study on the application of FPGAs and GPUs for the hardware acceleration of CFD simulations is presented

Adaptive propagation of quantum few-body systems with time-dependent Hamiltonians

In this study, a variety of methods are tested and compared for the numerical solution of the Schr\"odinger equation for few-body systems with explicitely time-dependent Hamiltonians, with the aim to find the optimal one. The configuration interaction method, generally applied to find stationary eigenstates accurately and without approximations to the wavefunction's structure, may also be used for the time-evolution, which results in a large linear system of ordinary differential equations. The large basis sizes typically present when the configuration interaction method is used calls for efficient methods for the time evolution. Apart from efficiency, adaptivity (in the time domain) is the other main focus in this study, such that the time step is adjusted automatically given some requested accuracy. A method is suggested here, based on an exponential integrator approach, combined with different ways to implement the adaptivity, which was found to be faster than a broad variety of other methods that were also considered.Comment: 16 pages, 1 figure (4 panels

Differential-Algebraic Equations and Beyond: From Smooth to Nonsmooth Constrained Dynamical Systems

The present article presents a summarizing view at differential-algebraic equations (DAEs) and analyzes how new application fields and corresponding mathematical models lead to innovations both in theory and in numerical analysis for this problem class. Recent numerical methods for nonsmooth dynamical systems subject to unilateral contact and friction illustrate the topicality of this development.Comment: Preprint of Book Chapte