49K20 Problems involving partial differential equations
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- Frequency Averaging (1)
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Laser-induced interstitial thermotherapy (LITT) is a minimally invasive procedure to destroy liver
tumors through thermal ablation. Mathematical models are the basis for computer simulations
of LITT, which support the practitioner in planning and monitoring the therapy.
In this thesis, we propose three potential extensions of an established mathematical model of
LITT, which is based on two nonlinearly coupled partial differential equations (PDEs) modeling
the distribution of the temperature and the laser radiation in the liver.
First, we introduce the Cattaneo–LITT model for delayed heat transfer in this context, prove its
well-posedness and study the effect of an inherent delay parameter numerically.
Second, we model the influence of large blood vessels in the heat-transfer model by means
of a spatially varying blood-perfusion rate. This parameter is unknown at the beginning of
each therapy because it depends on the individual patient and the placement of the LITT
applicator relative to the liver. We propose a PDE-constrained optimal-control problem for the
identification of the blood-perfusion rate, prove the existence of an optimal control and prove
necessary first-order optimality conditions. Furthermore, we introduce a numerical example
based on which we demonstrate the algorithmic solution of this problem.
Third, we propose a reformulation of the well-known PN model hierarchy with Marshak
boundary conditions as a coupled system of second-order PDEs to approximate the radiative-transfer
equation. The new model hierarchy is derived in a general context and is applicable
to a wide range of applications other than LITT. It can be generated in an automated way by
means of algebraic transformations and allows the solution with standard finite-element tools.
We validate our formulation in a general context by means of various numerical experiments.
Finally, we investigate the coupling of this new model hierarchy with the LITT model numerically.
We consider optimal design problems for semiconductor devices which are simulated using the energy transport model. We develop a descent algorithm based on the adjoint calculus and present numerical results for a ballistic diode. Further, we compare the optimal doping profile with results computed on basis of the drift diffusion model. Finally, we exploit the model hierarchy and test the space mapping approach, especially the aggressive space mapping algorithm, for the design problem. This yields a significant reduction of numerical costs and programming effort.
We study model reduction techniques for frequency averaging in radiative heat transfer. Especially, we employ proper orthogonal decomposition in combination with the method of snapshots to devise an automated a posteriori algorithm, which helps to reduce significantly the dimensionality for further simulations. The reliability of the surrogate models is tested and we compare the results with two other reduced models, which are given by the approximation using the weighted sum of gray gases and by an frequency averaged version of the so-called \(\mathrm{SP}_n\) model. We present several numerical results underlining the feasibility of our approach.