Optimal airflow and blade design in compressible and incompressible flows

Abstract

We use a new approach for shape optimization in aerodynamics problems. The main ingredients of this approach are an unstructured CAD-free framework for shape and mesh deformations, automatic differentiation of programs for computing the discrete adjoint operator and an unstructured flow solver including a two-equation turbulence model and wall-laws as boundary conditions. The optimization procedure is applied for incompressible (car engine cooling fan blade), transonic (airfoil) and supersonic (missile) turbulent flows. The presented 2D results serve as a basis for the further optimization of complex 3D configuration s.