Abstract
This article presents a gradient-based aerodynamic optimization framework and investigates optimum deformations for a transonic airfoil equipped with morphing leading and trailing edges. Specifically, the proposed optimization framework integrates an innovative morphing shape parameterization with a high fidelity Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes computational fluid dynamic solver, a hybrid mesh deformation algorithm, and an efficient gradient evaluation method based on continuous adjoint implementation. To achieve a feasible morphing shape, some structural properties of skin and wing-box constraints were introduced into the morphing shape parameterization, which offers skin length control and enables wing-box shape invariance. In this study, the optimum leading and trailing edge deformations with minimization of drag at this cruise stage were searched for using the adjoint-based optimization with a nested feasible morphing procedure, subject to the wing-box, skin length, and airfoil volume constraints. The numerical studies verified the effectiveness of the optimization strategy, and demonstrated the significant aerodynamic performance improvement achieved by using the morphing devices. A lambda shock pattern was observed for the optimized morphing leading edge. That result further indicates the importance of leading edge radius control.
Highlights
With ever-increasing international awareness of economic efficiency and environmental protection, a more efficient aircraft design that reduces fuel consumption is urgent
We focus on the aerodynamic shape optimization with a parameterization dedicated to the morphing, for two-dimensional morphing airfoil design
A hybrid mesh deformation strategy, which consists of the deformation of the surface mesh by a radial basis function (RBF) tool and the deformation of the surrounding volume mesh by linear elasticity formulation, is adopted in this work
Summary
With ever-increasing international awareness of economic efficiency and environmental protection, a more efficient aircraft design that reduces fuel consumption is urgent. A gradient-based morphing shape optimization framework is presented that uses a Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) CFD solver, an advanced adjoint implementation, a robust mesh deformation algorithm, and an innovate shape parameterization method. In this method, the shape of the morphing system is implicitly represented by. Sci. 2021, 11, 1929 the parameterization that keeps the shape invariant in the wing-box region and provides skin length control Using this framework, an optimization example that minimized the drag by morphing the leading and trailing edges was carried out, and the potential of drag reduction was investigated.
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