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SIMULATING
ELECTRICAL
SySTEMS
CEA at the heart of innovation
for extreme computing
and Big Data
CCRT partners
Airbus Safran Launchers, Areva, Cerfacs, EDF, IFPEN,
Simulation of surface
Ineris, IRSN, LOral, SafranTech, SAFRAN Aero Boosters, currents on an aircraft nose
SAFRAN Aircraft Engines, SAFRAN Helicopter Engines, radome - THALES
SOLEIL,Thales, Thales Alenia Space, Valeo, CEA as well as
FranceGnomique consortium (supported by French
government PIA).
2
www.usinenouvelle.com
www.industrie-techno.com
L
Diota - Numerical simulation trophies ets not make the mistake of thinking that mode-
grand prize winner P. 6 ling and simulation serve only to replace expen-
INTERVIEW sive physical tests. The renowned epidemiologist
Thierry Breton, CEO of Atos P. 8 Franck Varenne listed twenty uses, classified into
five families, of numerical models at the first scien-
DOSSIER SETTING SIGHTS ON ELECTRIC PROPULSION
tific colloquium on modeling, held at the CNRS in
THE CAR INDUSTRY
December 2016. These five families are: observation/
Winning the race for battery life P. 12
experimentation, intelligible presentation, theorization,
AERONAUTICS
discussion, and decision-making. Numerical simula-
Focus on electric planes P. 18
tions wealth of uses makes it an essential discipline
SPACE
for researchers and manufacturers, helping them iden- AURLIE
Accelerating the launch of satellites P. 22
tify the challenges for more sustainable, eco-friendly BARBAUX
SHIPBUILDING
transport and industry. ASSISTANT EDITOR
The quest for compact systems P. 24
We examine these diverse challenges throughout this
MAINTENANCE special issue, especially in our report on the craze for
The digital twin: a protective brother P. 26 electric transport: testing new energy sources, deve-
RESEARCH loping new types of battery, making fuel cells more
Numerical simulation - The heart of IRTs P. 28 compact, optimizing the size of thermal propulsion
ENERGY systems, reducing the time it takes to put satellites into
Designing more energy efficient orbit, simulating airflows around hybrid planes, optimi-
supercomputers P. 34 zing composites for marine power, and tracking down
SUCCESS STORY heat energy (calories) in 3D electrical components.
The Cosmo Company designs computer New fields of application for simulation are constantly
models of complex systems P. 36 emerging, especially in production pro-
PORTFOLIO cesses by optimizing 3D printing. Combi- New fields of application
Trompe-lil P. 38
ned with big data, simulation is now used for simulation are
TOOL for preventative maintenance via digital constantly emerging,
Optimizing 3D printing P. 42
twins, developing multimodal transport, especially in production
and modeling complex systems such as
processes.
power grids and transport networks.
Prsident, directeur de la publication : Julien Elmaleh
Directrice gnrale dlgue : Isabelle Andr
Simulation is even moving beyond the physical sciences
Directeur du ple industrie : Pierre-Dominique Lucas to help develop multidisciplinary design methods.
Directrice de la rdaction : Christine Kerdellant
Directrice adjointe de la rdaction : Anne Debray
We should not overlook the energy cost of these
Rdacteur en chef dition : Guillaume Dessaix capabilities. The race towards exascale computing
Direction artistique : Eudes Bulard power must therefore be accompanied by a search
Coordinatrice ditoriale : Aurlie Barbaux
Ont particip ce numro : Claire Laborde et for greater energy efficiency. This is a challenge for
Rebecca Lecauchois (secrtariat de rdaction) ; manufacturers and other stakeholders. The issue here
Capucine Ragot et Sylvie Louvet (maquette)
LUsine Nouvelle n 3510 Cahier numro 2 is not about increasing or limiting computing power,
6 avril 2017 (commission paritaire n 0712T81903) but rather reflecting on how to make better use of it,
Ne peut tre vendu sparment
Une publication du groupe Gisi, Antony Parc II - said Alain Fuchs, president of the CNRS, in his opening
10 place du Gnral-de-Gaulle - BP 20156 - 92186 Antony Cedex address at the first numerical simulation colloquium
Impression : Roto France Impression 77185 Lognes
Photo de couverture : D.R. last December. A great deal of work lies ahead.
Center in Wuxi, near Shanghai and has a is currently ranked third in the world. Japan
theoretical performance of 125.4 petaflops has announced its intention to develop a
(millions of billions of floating point opera- 130-petaflop supercomputer with Fujistu by
tions per second). The Sunway Taihulight 2018. Juliette raynal
4
SIMULATION
Industry ccrT
COBALT TRIPLES
A LABORATORY THE POWER OF ARAIN
FOR NAVAL SHIPBUILDING CCRT, the consortium set up
to provide high performance
DCNS, Centrale Nantes engineering school computing resources, has acquired
and the University of Nantes have set up a Bulls Cobalt supercomputer,
joint laboratory of marine technology (JLMT) capable of 1,479 petaflops at peak
to innovate in the field of naval shipbuilding. power, three times more powerful
The laboratory will have a budget of 4.5 mil- than the current computer
lion euros for its operations over a three-year installed in 2012 (420 teraflops).
period. It will support the teams at Centrale DCNS, Centrale Nantes and the University of Nantes The CCRT is a partnership
Nantes and the University of Nantes, which formalize the set up of the JLMT on October 14, 2016. between the CEA and 13 French
also receive funding from the French National manufacturers requiring large
Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), and the hydrodynamics; multiphysics modeling for scientific computations, including
research and technology departments of DCNS numerical simulation of innovative structures Airbus Defence and Space, Areva,
Research. Some thirty researchers will focus and materials; and additive manufacturing of EDF, Herakles, LOral, Safran,
on three scientific topics: simulators for naval large-scale components. A. B. Thales, Snecma, Turbomeca
and Valeo.
Software
Business
RESEARCH CHAIR ON DIGITAL METALLURGY HPE TAKES OVER
AT MINES PARISTECH SILICON GRAPHICS
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)
Industrialists have known for thirty years ly created the Digimu chair. Headed by has bought Silicon Graphics, once
how to simulate materials at the macro Marc Bernacki, a teacher at the Schools the top contender in high
level. However, it is now known that the Materials Training Center (Cemef ), and performance computing, for
properties of metal parts (resistance to with a budget of 1.23 million euros over 275 million dollars. The star
fatigue, corrosion, etc.) depend on their four years, it brings together eight partners, of computing in the 1980s and
microstructure, which can be modi- six of whom are industrialists (ArcelorMittal, 1990s, the American enterprise
fied by a large number of mechanisms Areva, Ascometal, Aubert &Duval, CEA and had already been taken over by
(heat treatments, deformations, etc.). To Safran), as well as Transvalor, Mines Paris- Rackable in 2009, after filing for
study and simulate these evolutions in a Techs valuation and transfer subsidiary that bankruptcy. The acquisition of the
software program, Mines ParisTech recent- publishes the software. A. B. business and its 1,100 employees
across the world offers HPE a
means to consolidate its position,
especially in the public sector and
life sciences research areas.
A simulator to better compensate for vibrations
When the engines start up, the whole cargo begins Start-up
to vibrate. All vessel components run the risk of SIMFORHEALTH
being damaged, including the electrical connectors, SIMULATES HEALTH
the powertrain, pipes, floors, ceilings and even the Located in Bordeaux, France,
ships hull. To limit potential damage, particularly Interaction Healthcare is a start-
with the help of active devices to offset the up to keep an eye on. Specializing
vibrations, the German laboratories of Fraunhofer in digital simulation of clinical
Adaptronics Alliance have developed a simulation cases, the company raised
software program. This embedded system 5 million euros in 2016 from
simulates the vibrations along with the effects the investment fund Audacia,
of adaptronics systems capable of reducing Bpifrance and Frances Nouvelle
them, using sensors to measure the local vibrations Aquitaine region. Its purpose:
and produce counter-vibrations. The simulator to develop Simforhealth, an
immersive and interactive serious
FRAuNHOFER ; D.R.
INNoVAtIoN tRoPHY
NUmtEcH
Numtechs online NOA (news on your
atmosphere) service, available on the
Fitbit and Runtastic platforms, provides
a health index according to air quality,
weather risks, and users geolocation
and health status. We calculate air
quality to a resolution of 510 meters,
said Pierre Beal, Numtechs CEO. This
provides data about your particular street
rather than the one next to it. Weather
and pollutantdispersion data relies on
a modestsized intensive computing
platform (20 teraflops). Airquality fore
casts are then finetuned using a big
data platform.
6
VERIFY AND Surpass design challenges with ease using
COMSOL Multiphysics. Work with its
OPTIMIZE
powerful mathematical modeling tools and
solver technology to deliver accurate and
comprehensive simulation results.
Copyright 2017 COMSOL. COMSOL, the COMSOL logo, COMSOL Multiphysics, Capture the Concept, COMSOL Desktop, COMSOL Server, and LiveLink are either registered
trademarks or trademarks of COMSOL AB. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners, and COMSOL AB and its subsidiaries and products are not affiliated with,
endorsed by, sponsored by, or supported by those trademark owners. For a list of such trademark owners, see www.comsol.com/trademarks.
simulation
WE Will BuilD
soon be at the limits of Moores Law. Computer cores will be
so dense that well have reached the limit of matter. And so
much heat will be given off that it will be impossible to cool
Quantum
supercomputers. Its now that we need to start working on
the next generation, i.e. quantum computers.
8
simulation
have government funding. Our research is done with a for medical applications. Artificial intelligence such as that
small amount of external funding. Were following with developed by Atos, i.e. mainly for industrial use, is not at this
interest the European Commissions initiatives, not only for stage. Once weve achieved the computing power expected
developing standard HPCs but also for quantum computing. by 2025-2030, well have completely changed our capacity
The Commission, which has launched a quantum sensors to anticipate and will need specialists and users fully trained
and computers program with over 1.3 billion euros of fun- in this new environment. From an ethical perspective, theres
ding, is fully aware that quantum physics will be one of the obviously a risk while this knowledge and control of its use
21st centurys real technological and scientific revolutions. is in the hands of a few people. But Ive been following these
issues for a long time and remain basically optimistic. Lets
Artificial intelligence is expected to be one these 21st-century remember that were dealing with long cycles. Technological
revolutions. Do you see an ethical problem with it? changes are never achieved in less than 25 years, i.e. a gene-
Artificial intelligence certainly raises issues since it will ration. Lets face up to our responsibilities, its up to us to
provide ever greater capacity to assist decision-making. We train and raise the awareness of those who will come after us.
PAsCAl GuittEt
need to integrate this capacity. There are obviously important This duty to hand on to the next generation is, in a nutshell,
political aspects, especially with regard to protecting privacy the history of scientific and technological development and,
and individuals. Bioethics is becoming an essential matter indeed, the history of humankind.
10
SimULatiOn
TransporT
Setting SigHtS
On eLeCtRiC
PROPULSiOn
Driven by environmental constraints, electric propulsion
is now essential in every sector: from the car
and aeronautics industries to shipbuilding and the space
industry. Now its time to optimize electric propulsion
by simulating systems.
by gUiLLaUme LeCOmPte-bOinet
t
ransport, and not just the car industry, is in-
creasingly backing electric power. Manufacturers,
laboratories, technological research institutes,
and universities are all working to find reliable
electric drivetrain and propulsion solutions for
cars, ships, satellites, and other aircraft. There are plenty of
challenges. We need to switch to new generation batteries,
adapt fuel cells, integrate these new systems into cabins
and ships hulls, and ensure they are completely safe. Every
means of transport has specific obstacles to be overcome.
In the car industry, battery life and cost must be drastically
improved. Faster positioning of electric-powered satellites is
required in the space industry. And one of the shipbuilding
industrys constraints is electrical-equipment size. Manu-
facturers and laboratories are using numerical simulation
tools for this work to partly do without expensive physical
tests. Some tasks, such as modeling system architecture, can
be done using existing tools on the market, such as Catia
The HY4 is and Dymola. But for most simulation, manufacturers and
an electrically research centers have to develop their own codes using gene-
powered
4 passenger ric Matlan or Comsol tools. Whether for simulating airflows
aircraft in the aeronautics industry or batteries electrochemistry in
developed the car industry, the issues are too specific for commercial
by DLR, software. More and more partnerships are therefore springing
the German
aerospace
up between industry and research laboratories, sometimes
research even leading to the establishment of research chairs.
center.
i
THE CAR INDUSTRY f they still needed any convincing, the pollution peaks
experienced in Frances big cities this winter should
12
simulation
Zo 3s secrets
Renault redoubled Whereas Renaults star electric charger for alternating current
its inventiveness car, the Zo 2, only had an nEDC (AC) battery charging. A power
to extend (new European Driving Cycle) inverter between the battery
the Zo 3s range.
This model can rated range of approximately and engine converts the batterys
now be driven 200 km, i.e. without using direct current into alternating
400 km without on-board electrical accessories current. This system
recharging (air conditioning, radio, etc.), is 3-4 times cheaper and
the battery.
the Zo 3s nEDC range the Chameleon charger has
is 400 km (270-300 km enabled us to add 30 km
in normal conditions). Renault to the Zos range, said Soulas.
has reworked all the Zos main Another innovation is a reversible
components to achieve this heat pump to control
result. its lithium-ion battery the air-conditioning system,
capacity was increased from which has given another 15 km
22 kWh to 41 kWh and is just of range. Renault has also gained
21 kg heavier (total battery approximately 20 km
weight: 300 kg). Weve also by developing a new more
increased engine efficiency, efficient regenerative braking
explained Marc Soulas, Renaults system. This recovers energy,
vice-president for electric-vehicle which is continuously converted
engineering. Renaults teams by the Chameleon system
made the engine more compact and stored in the battery.
by optimizing its power
electronics, for example by using
a wound rotor and low-friction
bearings. One of the new Zos
secrets is its built-in Chameleon
its Mirai. We sold 3,000 Mirai models in 2016 and bank battery without spending the night in a hotel. Renault has
on selling 30,000 by 2020, said Gerald Killmann, vice- surpassed a symbolic milestone by practically doubling the
president R&D of Toyota Motor Europe. In a sign of the Zos range to almost 300 km in normal driving conditions
times, the French government has just decided to abolish (400 km, according to the New European Driving Cycle
the environmental bonus for hybrid vehicles (except for [NEDC]). Weve worked on all the main drivechain com-
rechargeable models) and focus this tax incentive on 100% ponents: battery, engine, and charging system, said Soulas
electric cars. [see box below].
Due to the complexity of what happens inside batteries,
Modeling to limit Risks numerical simulation is essential to make lithium-ion
But despite these announcements, it should not be batteries more compact and increase their life without
forgotten that this very new markets future involves threatening safety. An electrochemical reaction
tackling a few challenges. When it comes to elec- simulation issues occurs between lithium-ion batteries two elec-
tric cars, its quite simple: we need to increase battery Increasing lithium-ion trodes (the positive anode and negative cathode)
life, reduce charging time without impairing battery life, battery life thanks to active materials, which enable lithium
and of course lower the price and hence cut costs, said Testing new types of
ions to migrate from one electrode to the other.
Marc Soulas, Renaults vice-president for electric-vehicle battery and their The anode is made of a nickel/manganese/cobalt
engineering. Generally speaking, buyers look at the cost of components ceramic compound, while graphite is generally used
a vehicle before taking an interest in its pollution level. And Making fuel cells more for the cathode. Migration must be quick and comple-
travelers want to know if they will be able to charge their car compact and cheaper tely reversible if batteries are to have a long enough
cdRic cHaZel, applications and hence increase phase. For this work, we all meet up
CNRS researcher and RS2E networks battery life. The more the active every six months with 15 or so
intellectual property manager material functions at high potential, industrial partners, including Renault,
(17 universities, 3 technology transfer the better the battery will perform. Airbus, and the RS2E network. There
centers, and approximately 15 industrial But some phenomena have to be are still a lot of real-life experiments
partners) modeled on a larger space-time scale to be carried out!
(10 nanometers and
What is the role of numerical simulation in 100 nanoseconds). We also work on What are the alternatives to lithium-ion
your battery research? an even bigger space-time scale batteries?
We need to understand ion diffusion (1 micrometer and 0.1 seconds), for Were exploring several avenues of
and transport properties in electrodes example, to improve characterization research at the Laboratory for
and electrolytes according to the of phenomena at the interfaces of Reactivity and Solids Chemistry
electrochemical system. Simulation various materials. (LRCS) in Amiens: lithium-air
helps give us a quicker understanding batteries, of course - which still need
of how a batterys active materials What practical results do you expect to a lot of research - as well as lithium-
behave. obtain from this? sulfur batteries. This technology is
Were carrying out fundamental very promising for both the car and
What type of simulation do you carry out? theoretical research to find the best aeronautics industries. Were also
We carry out infinitely small active materials for improving battery studying a battery that self-charges by
calculations on a space-time scale of performance. Our industrial partners light.
0.1 nanometer and 100 picoseconds. will then have the major task of
This helps us bring to light promising working out dimensions. This is
active materials for various when we move into the engineering
life. A batterys properties, its power and energy density, it is highly reactive and may endanger passengers. Another
depend on the active materials, explained Cdric Chazel, a avenue that has been explored is enriching graphite with
CNRS researcher and RS2E networks intellectual property silicon, again to store more lithium. But here too, there are
manager. Chazel works at the Laboratory for Reactivity and material stability issues.
Solids Chemistry (LRCS) in Amiens, especially on modeling
lithium-ion batteries by coding in tools such as Matlab New Avenues of Research Worth Exploring
and Comsol. One of the key issues in our modeling work Safety is at the heart of all these challenges. We can all
is studying active materials diffusion mechanisms, said recall cases of lithium-ion batteries exploding or catching
Julien Marie, team leader of Renaults battery development fire, whether in Boeing 787s or smartphones. For this reason,
project. Active materials migrate through layers of alumi- simulation is also used to sort out thermal issues. During
num and copper, which form a very complex environment. motorway journeys, drivers need to recharge their car battery
Due to a lack of simulation tools on the market, Renaults quickly, which means having an appropriate, effective cooling
simulation work is the result of codes developed in-house. system, said Marie. Renaults teams are working on these
Renault has used data from PhD theses it funded. One goal issues, especially via Catia numerical-design tools to simulate
is to make the top of batteries less bulky so that they lie as heating/cooling cycles. Renault has also developed its own
flat as possible and are better integrated into the chassis. tools that engineers code in Matlab. We specify the physical
Researchers are also trying to optimize the amount of active laws and the system calculates everything automatically,
materials according to the battery life and power desired. said Marie. Based on these calculations, Renault is expected
Basically, the more active materials there are in batteries, to opt for a liquid (water or fluid) cooling system for the Zo
the heavier they are and the longer battery life they have. rather than an air-cooling system.
For this reason, hybrid vehicles rechargeable batteries Other teams are using entropimetry to measure battery
have very thin cells, short charging time, but less battery charge and health status. Rachid Yazami, a CNRS resear-
life. We constantly have to trade off all these factors, said cher on a temporary assignment at Nanyang Technological
Marie. Experiments to vary the composition of active mate- University in Singapore, is working in this field. Analyzing
rials have also been carried out. For example, increasing entropy/enthalpy charts enables us to establish with great
D.R.
the amount of nickel in order to store more lithium. But precision not only a batterys health status but also to some
manufacturers need to keep checks on this cocktail since extent its history, i.e. the conditions in which it has aged.
14
simulation
Simulating thermodynamic diagrams enables us to predict architecture (rectifiers, transistors, power inverters, etc.).
battery lifespan, explained Yazami. Were currently at the stage in which these new generation
All this research will eventually enable batteries to be components are only just coming out of research laborato-
recharged faster in complete safety. But thats not all since ries, said Soulas.
modern electric vehicles also feature power electronics, One of the issues occupying manufacturers and resear-
which helps reduce heat loss while also enabling more chers is whether or not there is a credible alternative to
electrical power to pass through the same volume. Power lithium-ion technology, which has an energy density of
electronics is one factor influencing charging capacity. 150-200 Wh/kg. Several avenues are emerging, the most
Silicon chips are commonly used in todays car industry. promising of which is lithium-air technology. Lithium-
But new gallium-based components will be arriving from air batteries are said to provide almost ten times more
2020-2022 onwards. These components will take things energy density than lithium-ion batteries, as well as being
to the next level, increasing battery performance by 10-20%. 2-3 times lighter. Electric cars fitted with this technology
To achieve this goal, Renault is working with the French could see their range soar to over 600 km. Lithium-air
Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission (CEA), batteries represent a half-way house between lithium-ion
research laboratories, and components manufacturers such batteries and fuel cells, said Chazel, whose laboratory
as STMicroelectronics and Infineon on new component (LRCS) is also working on this technology. The LRCS is
TOyOTA ; DAViD DEWhURST PhOTOgRAPhy
16
AT THE HEART OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES
SIMULATION
INDUSTRIAL
COMPANIES
TECHNOLOGY
COMPANIES
HPC
BIG DATA
RESEARCH
& INNOVATION
17
Contacts & Information
jean-pascal.jegu@teratec.fr Tel. +33 (0)9 70 65 02 10
2 rue de la Piquetterie - 91680 Bruyres-le-Chtel - France www.teratec.eu
simulation
Although oneras distributed propulsion plane (see top) is still at the planning stage, siemens extra 330Le and Airbuss e-Fan are already in test flights.
t
AeronAutics he aeronautics industry has long drawn attention
to the figure of 3%, which is roughly the share
FOCUS ON ELECTRIC
of greenhouse gases emitted by air transport.
Although this figure may seem low, climate
change means aircraft and components manu-
PLANES
facturers have no choice but to continue their efforts to make
planes more energy efficient. Great progress has been made
in this field and modern Airbus A350 aircraft are 60% more
energy efficient than their equivalent model in the 1970s.
But the number of planes worldwide is due to double over
the next twenty years, meaning that these efforts will soon
Researchers and manufacturers are working be wiped out. Unless, that is, the aeronautics industry and
hard to drastically reduce aircraft pollution. researchers find a winning formula.
The most obvious line of research to stop pollutant emis-
Hybridization seems to be the most sion is to switch over to all-electric aircraft, which operate on
promising and achievable solution. an apparently simple principle: the propeller is driven by an
electric motor powered by a battery or fuel cell. Airbus and
by Guillaume lecompte-boinet Boeing have already worked on this concept by developing
light aircraft prototypes. The most well-known model is
18
simulation
mechanics, i.e. various Ampre distributed OUI je mabonne la formule 12 mois de LUsine Nouvelle
combined forces and their propulsion project, we pour 315 E TTC* (USI1A03) USI1707
impact on places. Finally, carried out wind-tunnel Lhebdomadaire et sa version digitale (iPad, Mac et PC)
weve designed dedicated tests to confirm numerical + Le Guide de lingnieur
flight dynamics tools to calculations, which we + Laccs illimit lensemble des contenus du site
+ La base de donnes Industrie Explorer en mode consultation
simulate flight control laws. completed last February.
Je prfre mabonner la formule 100% numrique de LUsine Nouvelle
pour 299E TTC*(WUN1A02) USI1707
JE RGLE PAR :
Chque bancaire lordre de LUsine Nouvelle
Airbuss E-Fan (weighing 550 kg), which flew across the
Carte bancaire N
English Channel in 2015. In July 2016, Siemens flew its Expire n Date et signature
Extra 330LE aerobatic plane (weighing 1 metric ton) fitted Notez les 3 derniers chires
gurant au verso de votre carte
with a prototype 260 kilowatt-electric motor. In 2016, Air- rception de facture
bus and Siemens joined forces to carry out joint research Je recevrai une facture acquitte
Mme M. Nom :
on hybrid electric planes, aiming to achieve power in excess
of 10 megawatts. By 2030, we hope to be flying a hybrid Prnom :
the air that is 50 times heavier than the Extra 330. Code postal : Ville :
French Aerospace Research Agency (Onera). It will therefore - Ore valable jusquau 31/08/2017- Votre abonnement comprend durant cette priode la rception de 46 n dont 3 n doubles. Conformment
aux lois Informatique et Liberts du 06/01/1978 et LCEN du 22/06/2004, vous pouvez accder aux informations, les rectier et vous opposer
leur transmission ventuelle en crivant au Service Abonnements. GISI - SAS au capital de 38 628 352 - RCS Paris 442 233 417 - N TVA FR
not be easy for electric power to supplant kerosene, the top 29442233417 - Toute commande implique lacceptation des CGV consultables : http://www.infopro-digital.com/pdf/CGV_abo_Groupe.pdf.
aviation fuel. Unless, that is, batteries are improved. As Oneras research carried out using its in-house Elsa
part of the RSE2 network, Airbus is working on lithium- siMuLAtion issues simulation tool, aims to extract characteristic quantities
air batteries with the Laboratory for Reactivity and Solids Simulating hybrid in pressure, speed, etc., fluctuations. Interpretation
Chemistry (LRCS) in Amiens. These batteries are said to pro- planes airflow of these fluctuations will help evaluate plane lift and
vide ten times more energy density and are also three times Studying the impact of drag data. Oneras Ampre project seeks to prove that
lighter [see page 16]. This is a key point for the aviation electromagnetic waves excellent results can be obtained in boundary layer
industry. Many challenges still need to be tackled for this Developing lithium-air absorption. The boundary layer is the thin (barely a
technology to reach maturity. In the meantime, hybridization batteries few centimeters thick) air layer between air stuck
seems to be the compromise solution to achieve sufficient to the fuselage, circulating at the same speed as the
energy density. plane, and external air at zero speed. If we can absorb this
boundary layer via the motors, we can recover unused energy
Distributed Propulsion by a series of Motors and improve overall propulsive efficiency, explained Hermetz.
Onera is testing a distributed propulsion concept as part Research in progress includes work on fuel cells, especially
of its Ampre project. Thirty or so small electric motors are electron exchange with the electrolyte membrane. The Safran
distributed along the planes airfoil. The advantage of these Group, Airbus, Onera, and the French Atomic Energy and
motors is that they can be used to control the plane (which Alternative Energies Commission are carrying out research
avoids any need for wings with moveable flaps) and also to bring this technology to aircraft. One project is modeling
improve aircraft lift at low speed. Onera carries out a great a complete system, including a fuel cell, using Catia finite
deal of numerical simulation [see interview on previous element meshing, which divides what must be modeled
page] and is now specializing in it. One of Oneras main into small elements, reducing it to a point cloud. Hydrogen
research areas is fluid dynamics, studying airflows all along tanks are also a special focus of research since hydrogen is
the fuselage. a flammable gas.
Another less well-known but nevertheless very strategic
project is electromagnetic compatibility. By integrating more
and more electric power, aircraft manufacturers will have to
redesign the architecture of future planes to protect onboard
by 2030, we hope to be flying equipment (especially avionics). Onera and Safran are actively
D.R. ; jAN GREUNE / SiEMENS
a hybrid electric plane that can carry up working on this issue. Onera has developed a calculation chain
to 100 passengers over a distance to determine electrical systems radiation levels and study their
repercussions on planes. This is absolutely essential since
of 1,000 km.
aircraft manufacturers may have to shield or move critical
Frank anton, head of eAircraft at Siemens equipment. Simulation projects are far from over.
20
Platinum Sponsors : Gold Sponsors :
Partenaire
Caf Europen
de la Recherche :
21
Silver Sponsors :
simulation
SPACE
ACCELERATING
THE LAUNCH
OF SATELLITES
computer modeling is the core technological
challenge facing electric satellites in order
to reduce transfer time into orbit and enhance
engine design.
by Guillaume lecompte-boinet
W
ill 100% electric satellite propulsion someday
replace todays chemical thrusters? In all
likelihood, yes they will, but probably not
completely. Nevertheless, each year electric-
powered satellites are becoming increasingly
common and may well account for more than 50% of market
share in the near future. The latest development in the family
is Eutelsat 172B, built by Airbus Defence and Space (ADS)
based on the Eurostar E3000 EOR platform. The 3.4-ton
satellite, slated to be put in geostationary orbit in April of this
year, will have 13 kilowatts of embedded power and operate
entirely on xenon-powered ion engines for transfer into orbit
and station-keeping throughout the satellites useful life span.
This is the first fully electric European satellite, declares
ADS. The advantages of electric propulsion are now well
known: a 40%-50% increase in mass compared with che-
mical thrusters and less bulk, allowing more room for the
payload. By comparison, to embed an equivalent payload, the
chemical version of Eutelsat 172B would weigh 5.5-6 tons!
At only 3.5 tons, the electric platform can travel with ano-
ther satellite in the Ariane 5 nosecone, thereby significantly
cutting launch costs.
But there is however, one major drawback: positioning an
electric satellite takes between six months with a Hall effect
plasma engine and nine months with an ion engine. Though
they are extremely energy efficient, electric engines have much
less push than propellant-powered engines: about 100-150
millinewtons compared with 400 newtons for a chemical
thruster, i.e. a ratio of 1 to 4,000. The space industrys leading
challenge is to shorten the time periods, particularly by means Two electric propulsion satellites:
the Eutelsat 172B (above)
of digital simulation, as physical tests are considerably more and the Smart-1. The blue light
complicated to perform in space. To diminish the duration under the Smart-1 is emitted
of orbital transfer, one can either increase engine power or by xenon atoms.
22
simulation
gee. It is therefore necessary to simulate the thrusts in order center for scientific Research plasma engine that could thrust
to save xenon and determine the best launch strategy for a (cnRs) including the Lpp 10% more than current machines
given architecture. The Cnes is also conducting research in and the national Office during launch into orbit; once
simulating satellite lifespan increases and orbit corrections, of Aerospace studies and in orbit, it would consume
which take longer than with chemical thrusters. Ultimately, Research (Onera). The chair will 10% less energy and require less
manufacturers and laboratories hope to halve the time supplement this work, drive, thereby reducing xenon
required for positioning. says nicolas de chanaud, deputy consumption.
Using simulation to make sure its ships are functioning correctly allows DCNS to avoid costly tests in real conditions.
e
SHIPBUILDING lectricity and ships go back a long way. From the
19th century and throughout the 20th century,
COMPACT SYSTEMS huge cruise ship (Harmony of the Seas) to emerge from STX
Frances shipyard, and DCNSs submarines and frigates all
feature electric engines. Weve been fitting our submarines
and surface ships with electric engines for a long time, said
Jacques Jourden, director of engineering at DCNSs Nantes-
Indret site (Loire-Atlantique).
Ships have been fitted with electric Things started, and for good reason, with nuclear-propelled
propulsion systems for many years. submarines. DCNS has been developing hybrid designs used
especially for Fremm frigates since the 2000s. Ships are
R&D is focusing on equipment powered by electric engines when doing less than 15 knots,
dimensions and new energy sources. whereas gas turbines take over once they exceed this speed.
In Mistral-class projection and command ships, pods (electric
By Guillaume lecompte-Boinet
propeller engines housed in nacelles) outside the hull ensure
100% electric propulsion. Nevertheless, a diesel engine and
D.R.
24
simulation
no archinaute without
modeling
The Archinaute, an unusual ship that converts wind
power into electricity, as yet exists only on paper.
But Charles-Henri Viel, its designer, hopes to build
a full-scale prototype this year. Two levels
of modeling have already been completed. Viel
developed algebraic equations to simulate the ships
wind resistance, before using Heliciel software
to validate wind turbine and propeller size for a given
power. The prototype will require more complex
calculations, said Viel. This involves developing
a simulation tool from scratch, in this case
with the National Institute of Advanced Technology
of Brittany (Ensta) in Brest.
alternator are required to power them. This system provides Numerical simulation may make
great maneuverability and is now widely used in commercial, simulation issues shipbuilders task easier, especially
exploration, and offshore vessels. Optimizing dimensions for military ships, where space ma-
of thermal electricity nagement is a central issue. DCNS
systems
Quieter and More Compact uses tools such as Dymola (Dassault
Electric propulsion has many benefits for the shipbuilding Testing various default Systmes) and Simulink (in Matlab,
events
industry. First, this technique makes ships relatively silent, a generic tool) to optimize the size
meaning that cruiseship passengers can sleep soundly and Testing new energy of propulsion equipment and adjust
the military can avoid detection. Sound waves generated by sources its control and regulation laws. The
two-stroke diesel engines can be heard miles away whereas idea is to use simulation to check the
electric propulsion, even when coupled with a diesel engine propulsion systems overall performance, said Jourden. This
or gas turbine, is much quieter. Vibrations are of smaller research avoids large numbers of expensive sea trials and
magnitude and noise-dampening systems are easier to size. also enables trials in degraded mode, for example, simulating
Another important aspect for the shipbuilding industry is equipment breakdown or a heavy swell. Shipbuilders can thus
that electric propulsion saves on servicing since the engines check that control and regulation laws are adjusted correctly.
require almost no maintenance. Furthermore, back-up heat At the same time, DCNS is conducting research on two
engines, which run smoothly and at a constant speed, wear topics for the future: replacing lead batteries by lithium-ion
out less. For a similar type of mission, we need less installed batteries and fuel cells. The idea is to improve the autonomy
capacity than ships propelled entirely by heat engines, said of standard Scorpne-class submarines, increasing how long
Jourden. But coupled thermal-electric systems are by nature they spend under water before resurfacing from four days
very bulky as they require diesel alternators, multiple electric to three weeks. Here too, simulation will help control pro-
cabinets, converters, electric engines, etc. For this reason, pulsion-system performance and electric-equipment sizing.
DCNS has no current plans to fit ships under 5,000 tons
with 100% electric propulsion, including projection and Modeling Cooling Systems
command ships, since there is not enough space. DCNS is also working on superconductivity, which could
theoretically make the mass and volume of standard ma-
chinery (except for cooling systems) 1.5-2 times smaller.
Nevertheless, thermal engineering remains one of the main
the idea is to use simulation obstacles to overcome before ships can one day be fitted
to check the propulsion systems with superconductor engines. Very low temperature has to
be maintained via a helium cooling system. For example,
overall performance. this type of engine could be powered by a fuel cell. All this
Jacques Jourden, involves extensive design studies and modeling of cooling
director of engineering at DCNSs Nantes-Indret site system reliability and availability, said Jourden.
MainTenance
A
new era for industrial maintenance has arrived.
At Safran, engineers examine their 29 Leap
engines in flight, even thousands of kilometers
away, on their computer screens. Each engine
has a digital twin. The term was introduced by
Nasa to describe a dynamic 3D digital shuttle replica based
on data from equipment sensors and contextual informa-
tion. In the case of an engine, the live simulation is fed by
a stream of data pertaining to temperature, rotation speed Thanks to its virtual twin, the Safran Leap engine is sent to maintenance
and oil consumption, together with real-time information on only when a fault is detected.
weather, atmospheric pollution, flight route, etc. Safran stores
a total of 400 megabytes of data per day for each engine in
its data lake, which serves as an information reservoir to Safran. On the other hand, if the engine manufacturers teams
update the digital twins of its engines. Big data is the key to detect an anomaly in the digital twin, they can schedule a
improving maintenance management. maintenance operation to avoid a breakdown. More efficient
Gone are the days of preventive maintenance based on maintenance management allows the company to cut costs.
average periods of utilization. Through the digital twin,
which duplicates the actual state of equipment and analyzes a new business model
its huge amount of corresponding data, managers can opt Contrary to other data analysis tools, the digital twin allows
instead for predictive maintenance. This technology has analysts to visualize the machinery and even look inside. It is
become possible through the recent emergence of the indus- possible to identify precisely the component that presents an
trial internet, which has increased the number of sensors and anomaly instead of taking the equipment apart. When we
data storage platforms. If an engine has flown under optimal take back engines to make technical improvements, we can
conditions, we check its digital twin to be sure it has not been identify the family of engines we are targeting more quickly,
damaged and we can postpone the planned maintenance which allows us to segment the fleet according to the specific
operation, notes Cline Briquet, head of Leap Analytics at uses of our engines, says Cline Briquet.
Digital twins have reconfigured the playing field for simu-
lation. Digital equipment can be subjected to all sorts of
treatment that could be inflicted on its physical counterpart.
We can replay a breakdown in the digital twin to understand
Until now, simulation was focused its root cause, explains ric Bantegnie, vice president of the
on design. The industrial internet makes embedded systems business unit of the U.S. software company
it possible to use it in operation. Ansys. And run failure-resolution scenarios before modifying
PAScAl GUittEt
This shift is very recent. the physical object and explore possible solutions. Industrial
internet platforms like PTCs ThingWorx and Siemens Mind-
ric Bantegnie, Vice President of the Embedded Systems Business Unit at Ansys Sphere combine the data produced by the various information
26
sIMULATION
The Bugey
plant (ain)
already has
a reactor
behavior
simulator.
RESEARCH
nuMericAl
siMulATiOn - The
heArT OF irTs
With eight Technological Research Institutes (IRTs),
France finally has the equivalent of Germanys
Fraunhofer Institutes, only theyre better. IRTs
were set up between 2012 and 2013 under the
Investment for the Future (PIA) program and
will receive 940 million euros over ten years. IRTs
organize shared public-private research in eight
areas: digital technology (IRT B<>Com); microbiology
and infectious diseases (IRT Bioaster); factories of
the future (IRT Jules Verne); materials, metallurgy SystemX
designed
and processes (IRT M2P); nanoelectronics (IRT a model for
Nanoelec); railway systems (IRT Railenium); optimizing
aeronautics, space, and embedded systems (IRT routes
combining
Saint-Exupry); and digital engineering of complex trains and
systems (IRT SystemX). Companies and public buses
for the SNCF.
research laboratories pool human resources and
equipment to carry out collaborative research
projects, sharing the resulting intellectual property
rights. And its an approach that works. In four years, RT SySTEmX TRACING OUT mULTImODAL
Frances IRTs which bring together 444 industrial mOBILITy ROUTES
and 100 academic partners, i.e. almost 1,500 people Set Up 31 October 2012
have already achieved 106 technology transfers, Current Projects 21, including 4 European projects
registered 155 patents, initiated 715 scientific Completed Projects 4
publications, set up 58 technology platforms, Platforms and Equipment 8
and taken part in 25 European research projects. Patents 37 Publications 208 Technology Transfers 30
Simulation and computing occupy a major, central Collaborators 130, including 34 PhD students
place in these projects: modeling new composites, Industrial Partners 75 Academic Institution Partners 14
material processing, multimodal transport, thermal
Investment for the Future Funding 130 million euros
simulation of electronic components, digital
platforms for validating railway components and IRT SystemXs MIC (modeling, interoperability, commu-
testing 5G security, methodology for the correct use nication) multimodal research project that ran for five
years ended last December. Based on scenarios submitted
of multiphysics coupling in aeronautical design, and
by Alstom, Renault and SNCF, IRT SystemX developed
pooling high-performance computing resources. numerical-simulation models to optimize train/bus connec-
Discover the central role of numerical simulation tions, passenger information in the event of incidents, and
at IRTs. set up a carsharing system. These models will be used for
By Aurlie BArBAux And Thierry lucAs
other optimization projects, especially for stations in the
Greater Paris region and cities of the future, which are quite
hard to create because initial models are rare. Industrialists
28
siMulATiOn
3D integration of electronic components provides many program. A new simulation toolbox has been developed with
benefits. For example, it saves space, energy, and improves Mentor Graphics and is being used to explore this technology:
performance. But there is at least one disadvantage: these adding TSVs, changing fill material, modifying the location
components heat up. When electronic chips are stacked of processor cores, which are hot points, etc. Correlated with
on top of one another, thermal dissipation may become measurements on completed systems, simulation is enabling
blocked. Although thermal simulation software for electro- researchers to make choices and qualify their chosen design.
nic components exists on the market, new problems have The ultimate aim is to provide conditions for the system to
arisen from 3D integration. For this reason, IRT Nanoelecs work, with suitable cooling.
3D Integration program is developing simulation tools with
Mentor Graphics, a software vendor for electronic component IRT RAILENIUm TOWARDS VIRTUAL RAILWAy
design. Were working in parallel on technology for 3D PROTOTyPING
integration, circuit blocks, and design tools. Were aiming
to a have a solution ready for when an industrialist decides Set Up 26 October 2012
to take the plunge, said Pascal Vivet, a circuit design expert Current Projects 34, including 6 European projects Completed
at the French Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Project 1
Commission (CEA) Leti. This research institute is one of Platforms and Equipment 3
the programs partners, together with the semiconductor
Patents 5 Publications 107 Technology Transfers 7
manufacturer STMicroelectronics, and two component
manufacturers: SET and EVG. Collaborators 40, including 8 PhD students
Chips for some memory components are already being Industrial Partners 20 Academic Institution Partners 9
stacked and vertically interconnected. But 3D integration has Investment for the Future Funding 80 million euros
wider ambitions since it involves stacking processors, memo-
ries, sensors, microelectromechanical systems (MEMs), etc, Trains want to catch up with planes and cars. When it comes
to reduce energy consumption and improve performance. to digital validation of designs, the rail industry is not on a
Simulating the thermal dispersion of stacks must take into par with other means of transport. To make up for lost time,
account what is happening within circuits, as well as of France has launched the Cervifer (virtual certification for
effects created by vertical interconnections, through-silicon railway vehicles and infrastructure) project. The project, run
vias (TSVs), and inter-chip fill polymers. 3D integration by the Agency for the Environment and Energy Management
D.R. ; RAILENIUM
requires multiscale simulation, from nanometer to centimeter (Aeme), aims to create a simulation platform to reduce the
level, which is the scale of boards onto which components number of physical tests and half the time taken to certify
are placed, said Sverine Chramy, director of the CEA Letis railway components. The Cervifer project has 14 partners,
30
siMulATiOn
IRT BIOASTER COmPUTING AND SImULATION would be hard to successfully complete flagship projects such
FOR ALL PROJECTS as Realism (reanimation low immune status markers). This
8 million-euro project has brought together 50 researchers
Set Up 2012 from IRT Bioaster, BioMrieux, ESPCI, Hospices Civils de
Current Projects 29 (including 1 European project) Completed Lyon (Lyon University Hospital), GSK, and Sanofi laborato-
Projects 11 ries. The purpose of the Realism project, which runs until
Platforms and Equipment 7 the end of 2018, is to combat sepsis, a serious infection
during which the bodys inflammatory response leads to life
Patents 4 Publications 38
threatening organ failure, an infection that affects almost
Collaborators 117, including 2 PhD students 27 million people a year throughout the world.
Industrial Partners 20 Academic Institution Partners 10
Investment for the Future Funding 180 million euros IRT m2P mODELING mETAL PROCESSING
TO PREDICT PROPERTIES
It is an understatement to say that healthcare research gene-
rates an abundance of digital data that must be modeled and Set Up 16 June 2013
analyzed to build models and find correlations. Such analysis Current Projects 15, including 1 European project
and modeling enables researchers to discover new biomarkers, Platforms and Equipment 11
predict the safety and efficacy of vaccines, and identify action
mechanisms for new antimicrobial compounds. To process Patents 2 Publications 46 Technology Transfers 8
data generated by its seven technology platforms, IRT Bioaster Collaborators 54, including 17 PhD students
has implemented strategies combining intensive computing Industrial Partners 65 Academic Institution Partners 12
and numerical simulation, taking into account the severe
Investment for the Future Funding 50 million euros
confidentiality constraints. Strict confidentiality is a require-
ment for all IRT Bioasters members, particularly as it relates In an ideal world for metallurgy, engineers would simply key
to the privacy and anonymity regarding personal health data into a computer the physical properties of the part they want
used in many projects. to make. This would tell them the sequence of processing
Rather than equip itself with its own computing facilities, their chosen alloy must undergo. Although this is not yet a
we decided to go into partnership with the CNRS compu- reality, IRT M2Ps (materials, metallurgy, processes) advanced
ting center in Lyon-Villeurbanne, which provides scalable, thermochemical processing project is working towards it. A
flexible architecture with unique computing power, mass suite of simulation models has been developed. Modeling
storage capacity and high-speed networks for our research carbon or nitrogen enrichment by gas decomposition in a fur-
projects, said Alain Troesch, IRT Bioasters technology nace to improve mechanical resistance is the first step in this
director. To fine-tune its data storage and analysis, IRT direction. Other simulation models are enabling researchers
Bioaster relies on the French National Institute of Nuclear to deduce new metallurgical phases resulting from processing,
and Particle Physics computing center (CC-IN2P3, CNRS, as well as calculate residual stress in materials and the fatigue
La Doua campus). This center has access to an Openstack life of components. We know how to do the opposite, i.e.
cloud for computing and application hosting, as well as to work back from target properties to the required processing,
a Univa computing farm for intensive computing. It also but only in laboratory test tubes, said Pascal Lamesle, head
provides mass storage, an Oracle and PostgreSQL database of science and technology at IRT M2P. Nevertheless, indus-
management system, and data transfer via a high-speed trialists involved in the TTA project, from the automobile
inter-institution network. Without this computing center, it (PSA), aeronautics (Safran, Ratier-Figeac, Airbus Helicopters),
and metallurgy (Ascometal, ArcelorMittal) sectors, together
with furnace manufacturers and industrial gas suppliers, can
To treat the
profusion of
already take advantage of simulation.
health data, The main objective is to reduce tests on manufactured parts.
Bioaster relies Simulation is also improving our understanding of problems
on the IN2P3 encountered with some types of steel and helping work out
calculation new processing methods. Before software developed at M2P
center.
is widely used by industrialists, researchers will have to
ensure the various models can communicate with one ano-
ther. And all this will have to be integrated into commercial
computing software in collaboration with software vendors.
ADELINE MELLIEZ / CC-IN2P3 / CNRS
32
siMulATiOn
IRT B<>COm SECURING 5G NETWORKS 4G, cant be done using SIM cards. To find solutions, Europe is
OF THE FUTURE funding a two-year collaborative research project (5G Ensure)
run by the Finnish technical research center VTT. B<>Com is
Set Up November 2012 one of the main project partners, together with Nokia, Thales,
Current Projects 15, including 4 European projects and Orange. 5G Ensure is aiming to identify and above all test
Completed Projects 6 security issues, potential architecture, and security solutions
Platforms and Equipment 8 (enablers), said Corriou. IRT B<>Com has installed a test
bed to carry out the work, which simulates a standard cloud
Patents 26 Publications 118 Technology Transfers 40
infrastructure, with all its virtualized storage and computing
Collaborators 95, including 27 PhD students equipment (Openstack). It also simulates network intercon-
Industrial Partners 25 Academic Institution Partners 13 nection (Wi-Fi, LTE, Sigfox, LoRa, NB IoT, etc.), with virtual
Investment for the Future Funding 80 million euros network functions reproducing 5Gs specific physical features
(especially low latency). This enables end-to-end integration
5G is telecommunications new frontier, keeping specialized tests to be carried out, including with new NSA-NR (non-
research laboratories such as IRT B<>Com fully occupied. standalone new radio) formats for 5G. The core platform
The challenge is to standardize both 5G infrastructures from opened last August and a dozen project partners are testing
2018 onwards, and from 2020, the services and functions it their security enablers on the network there. Were also using
will make possible. Not easy, as in addition to its promise to it to test new continuous development methods from IT, such
operate 1,000 times faster, 5G must support critical systems, as DevOps. Because one of the challenges for 5G is to create
which are very secure, as well as the internet of big things on new services faster, within a few days or even hours, instead of
a shared infrastructure, explained Michel Corriou, B<>Coms weeks or months, said Corriou. Component manufacturers are
director of networks and security. Contradictory challenges, interested in this capacity. Costing a total of 7.5 million euros,
especially in terms of security, creating new problems: e.g. 5G Ensure will close at the end of 2017. B<>Com is already
authenticating billions of connected objects, which, unlike with involved in two other European 5G programs.
energy
a
lthough it seems unthinkable, perhaps we (MW), racking up an energy bill of around 22 million euros
ought to build a nuclear power plant behind a year! To be realistic, the energy consumption of exascale
every supercomputer. Based on current energy supercomputers should not exceed 20 MW. Compared to the
performance, nothing less than a nuclear power average performance of current supercomputers, theyll have
plant would be needed to power a supercom- to become at least 25 times more energy efficient by 2022,
puter with staggering exascale computing speed. Exaflop said Michel Dayd, scientific delegate for supercomputers at
capacity, a billion billion operations per second, is the Holy the French National Center for Scientific Research.
Grail of intensive computing. Such power would open up new
horizons for ultra-complex simulation. For example, simu- Better Component integration
lating communication between brain neurons, simulating To meet this challenge, manufacturers can no longer settle
combustion, and simulation to search for new pharmaceu- for piling up processors, which represent 70% of supercom-
tical molecules. By way of comparison, the most powerful puters energy consumption. Neither can they base their
computer currently in existence is the Chinese Sunway approach on Moores Law any more, which has increased
Taihulight supercomputer, which operates at 93 petaflops per processor frequency regularly and quickly. This is because
second. This supercomputer consumes a mere 15 megawatts energy consumption increases in proportion to the square of
34
simulation
of supercomputers. Atoss Sequana system, unveiled in Well have to wait until 2022 to see if industrial roadmaps
2016 by its Bull technology brand, relies on a high-perfor- really have taken over from Moores Law.
SucceSS Story
t
operators including pylons, high-tension managers when numerous infrastructure
he Cosmo Company has only a dozen or so power lines and transformers components need to be changed and
clients, but they are not just any customers! as well as human resources policy. decision-making becomes indispensable.
The list already includes Veolia, SNCF, EDF,
Total, Alstom, RTE and ERDF. Set up in Lyon in
2010 by Michel Morvan, ric Boix and Hugues
de Bantel, this tech gem has thrived thanks to its ability to and breaks down silos within a group to enable optimal
create computer models to simulate complex systems. The decision-making, says Hugues de Bantel. The companys
start-up grew out of research carried out by Michel Morvan, strength lies in its ability to adapt its software to the needs of
a former professor at the cole Normale Suprieure de Lyon any operator managing a complex system (railway network,
and founder of the Rhne-Alpes Complex Systems Institute. water or natural gas management, etc.).
At the Institute, Michel Morvan developed a specific lan-
guage to comprehend how pandemics spread. He observed Global ambitions
that this data representation language could be applied to In 2017, the start-up hopes to double its sales and achieve
many other subjects, because complexity is everywhere, revenues in the vicinity of 7 million euros, notably by expan-
particularly in urban development and major networks, ding its international reach. It has entered into discussions
Hugues de Bantel explains. with players such as National Grid in the United Kingdom,
and Exelon and American Pacific in the United States. To
A decision-making support tool step up its international rollout, the tech gem is betting on
Through its scientific expertise, The Cosmo Company is a network of integrators, among them IBM, EY and CGI
capable of describing mathematically the dynamic linkages Consulting. Its second growth priority involves selling other
between the various subcomponents of a system and simu- licensed software such as Fluid, designed to make water
late them over time, up to twenty-five or thirty years. Our production and distribution networks resilient and help water
software programs aim to bring clarity to the most complex companies to be more responsive in the event of a crisis.
problems affecting industry, declares Hugues de Bantel. The For Alstom, the start-up has also developed a solution to
start-up promises to help business leaders make the right optimize the energy efficiency of urban train systems. This
decisions by relying on simulation. solution could interest nearly 250 actors across the world,
For example, the company has developed a software pro- asserts Hugues de Bantel.
gram called AIO (Asset Investment Optimization) for RTE, the Over the longer term, the start-up intends to meet the
subsidiary of Electricit de France that oversees the nations needs of the financial world. The idea would be to have a
transmission system operators. The purpose of the software sort of index of risk on a certain number of existing finan-
is to optimize investments and also infrastructure mainte- cial models, the specialist adds. Meanwhile, The Cosmo
nance, which represents an annual budget of 850 million Company is nurturing its aim of becoming the world leader
euros at RTE. Using AIO, the operator can take various assets in decision-making management for complex systems. To
into account and simulate them to detect possible domino reach this goal, it may finalize a second round of funding in
effects. Our systemic approach bolsters expert intuition the coming months.
D.R.
36
AT THE HEART OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES
www.teratec.eu www-hpc.cea.fr
HPCBIGDATA
HPCBIGDATA
BIGDATASIMULATION
ASIMULATION
ASIMULATION
The European Pole
37
Contacts & Information
TERATEC jean-pascal.jegu@teratec.fr Tel. +33 (0)9 70 65 02 10 CEA - TGCC - CCRT christine.menache@cea.fr Tel. +33 (0)1 69 26 62 56
Campus Teratec 2 rue de la Piquetterie - 91680 Bruyres-le-Chtel - France TGCC 2 rue de la Piquetterie - 91680 Bruyres-le-Chtel - France
Idaho natIonal laboratory ; ESa ; InStItut fraunhofEr ; Phay ho, ChrIS KnIght Et lInda young / argonnE natIonal laboratory ; gErman aEroSPaCE CEntEr simulAtion
Portfolio
trompe-lil
Simulations that show the infinitely small, the
inaccessible and the invisible are sometimes
deceptive, but always astonishing.
By Aurlie BArBAux And BernArd VidAl
38
simulAtion
Atomic scale
simulation
of a nuclear
reactor.
Effect of an X-ray
on a cluster
of argon atoms.
Airflow around
the wings
of very large
aircraft.
of a tornado.
ascending
Primary
currents
of a drone.
Aerodynamics
naSa ; Idaho natIonal laboratory ; XSEdE ; InrIa / hIEPaCS ; Paul lEESon taylor / loughborough unIvErSIty ; JamStEC
simulAtion
Propagation
of seismic
waves across
the Earth.
intervention
simulator for
the chemical
industry.
Protein
structure.
Visualizing
execution
traces
of intensive
computing
software.
Tool
oPtiMiZinG
3D PrintinG
Software compensates for additive
manufacturings unpredictability by predicting
possible deformations in parts.
by Marine Protais
3
D printing is no longer limited to prototyping and
is now used for production. Nevertheless, there
are obstacles slowing down its industrialization:
cost, manufacturing speed, and discrepancies
between parts intended geometry and printed
shape. Since numerical simulation helps overcome these
hurdles, 3D printing should seize hold of this technology.
Netfabb
Above all, numerical simulation makes 3D printing cheaper software
and quicker since it eliminates dozens of iterations, said includes
Sylvain Legrand, manufacturing evangelist at Autodesk, an algorithm
the US vendor of Netfabb 3D-printing software. Using for simulating
the physical
numerical simulation is a no-brainer since printing takes properties
several hours whereas simulation needs just a few minutes. of parts
Simulation is invaluable for mass printing of parts, enabling to be printed.
manufacturers to optimize and test mechanical resistance
before printing, explained Quentin Kiener, CEO of 3D Prod,
a company specializing in 3D printing of parts.
The advantage of Netfabb is that, as well as simulation,
Netfabb predicts support-structure failure it includes two other features needed for additive manu-
Faced with the growing use of 3D printing in factories, facturing: correction of computer-aided design files before
Autodesk integrated a simulation feature into Netfabb in printing, and topology optimization. This means there is no
2016. An algorithm simulates physical manufacturing phe- break in the digital technology, said Legrand. Nevertheless,
nomena and shows their repercussions on parts material the simulation feature is only accessible in the premium ver-
properties and shape. The software predicts deformations sion of this software, which comes with a 5,000 euro annual
and surface irregularities that may occur in parts by taking subscription fee. Furthermore, it is not very sophisticated.
account of the machinery and material used. Users can then This simulation feature is perhaps not as advanced as that
modify their parts design. Netfabb can also predict failure of dedicated tools already on the market, said Kiener.
in the support structures that parts are placed on during One such tool is Comsol Multiphysics, which could be an
3D printing. alternative to Netfabb for expert users of simulation tools.
Although not specifically designed for 3D printing, Comsol
Multiphysics can be configured for this task. In particular,
it takes account of heat transfer during manufacturing.
simulation makes Heat transfer can cause residual stress, which may weaken
3D printing cheaper parts, explained Jean-Marc Petit, Comsols vice-president of
by eliminating dozens business development. There is still room to improve these
of iterations. software programs to make them precise and easy to use.
They also need to adapt to additive manufacturings various
processes, which are still changing.
D.R.
42
June, 27th 2017
TERATEC Forum
pplication
Submit your a Ecole Polytechnique
1 2017 !
before April, 2 3rd edition
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