A report on the study of algorithms to enhance Vector computer performance for the discretized one-dimensional time-dependent heat conduction equation: EPIC research, Phase 1

With the development of modern vector/parallel supercomputers and their lower performance clones it has become possible to increase computational performance by several orders of magnitude when comparing to the previous generation of scalar computers. These performance gains are not observed when production versions of current thermal-hydraulic codes are implemented on modern supercomputers. It is our belief that this is due in part to the inappropriateness of using old thermal-hydraulic algorithms with these new computer architectures. We believe that a new generation of algorithms needs to be developed for thermal-hydraulics simulation that is optimized for vector/parallel architectures, and not the scalar computers of the previous generation. We have begun a study that will investigate several approaches for designing such optimal algorithms. These approaches are based on the following concepts: minimize recursion; utilize predictor-corrector iterative methods; maximize the convergence rate of iterative methods used; use physical approximations as well as numerical means to accelerate convergence; utilize explicit methods (i.e., marching) where stability will permit. We call this approach the ''EPIC'' methodology (i.e., Explicit Predictor Iterative Corrector methods). Utilizing the above ideas, we have begun our work by investigating the one-dimensional transient heat conduction equation. We have developed several algorithms based on variations of the Hopscotch concept, which we discuss in the body of this report. 14 refs