Abstract
In this work, we investigate the computational design of a typical S-Duct that is found in the literature. We model the design problem as a shape optimization study. The design parameters describe the 3D geometrical changes to the shape of the S-Duct and we assess the improvements to the aerodynamic behavior by considering two objective functions: the pressure losses and the swirl. The geometry management is controlled with the Free-Form Deformation (FFD) technique, the analysis of the flow is performed using steady-state computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and the exploration of the design space is achieved using the heuristic optimization algorithm Tabu Search (MOTS). The results reveal potential improvements by 14% with respect to the pressure losses and by 71% with respect to the swirl of the flow. These findings exceed by a large margin the optimality level that was achieved by other approaches in the literature. Further investigation of a range of optimum geometries is performed and reported with a detailed discussion.
Highlights
S-shaped ducts of rectangular or circular cross-section have been widely investigated to better understand and characterize the flow field inside them at different inlet conditions
The objective functions of every deformed duct were evaluated from the result of a pressure-based steady-state RANS simulation
This is not the optimization starting point which instead is represented by a red dot. This point represents the value of the objective function of the geometry obtained employing our new parameterization
Summary
S-shaped ducts of rectangular or circular cross-section have been widely investigated to better understand and characterize the flow field inside them at different inlet conditions. For their potential contribution in noise and drag reduction, S-Ducts as aero-engine intakes are of great interest in the propulsion field. The main consequence of this characteristic is swirl and not uniform distribution of total pressure at the inlet of the compressor This could potentially lead to unexpected stall and mechanical vibrations which can compromise the operational life of the entire propulsive system [2,3]. Encouraging solutions to this problem are mechanical vortex generators as proposed by
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