Parameterization and optimization for the axisymmetric forebody of hypersonic vehicle

Abstract

The axisymmetric hypersonic vehicle has attracted an increasing attention due to its simple structure and high volumetric efficiency. In order to find the optimal aerodynamic configuration of the axisymmetric hypersonic forebody, a novel parameterization method based on the theory of Non-uniform rational B-spline (NUBRS) curve and conical flows is proposed. Then, the optimization work which couples the global optimization algorithms NSGA-II with the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) fluid analysis is carried out. The optimization results show that configurations with higher lift-to-drag ratio as well as higher volumetric efficiency than the commonly used Von Karman Ogive configuration can be found. By analyzing flow structures of three different representative configurations, the reasons that lead to the different lift-to-drag ratios are found. Finally, the effects of angle of attack on the lift-to-drag ratio of three representative forebody configurations is studied.