Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 November 2000
The paper presents theapplication of Radial-basis-function (RBF) neural networks tospeed up deterministic search algorithms used for the design andoptimization of superconducting LHC magnets.The optimization of the iron yoke of the main dipoles requires anumber of numerical field computations per trial solution as the field quality depends on the excitation of the magnets. This results in computation times of about 30 minutes for each objective functionevaluation (on a DEC-Alpha 600/333) and only the most robust (deterministic)optimization algorithms can be applied. Using a RBF function approximator, the achieved speed-up of thesearch algorithm is in the order of 25% for problems with two parametersand about 18% for problems with three and five design variables.
This paper has been presented atNUMELEC 2000.