Efficient Aerodynamic Shape Optimization in MDO Context

Abstract

The aerospace industry is increasingly relying on advanced numerical flow simulation tools in the early aircraft design phase. Today's flow solvers, which are based on the solution of the Euler and Navier-Stokes equations, are able to predict aerodynamic behaviour of aircraft components under different flow conditions quite well. Within the next few years numerical shape optimization will play a strategic role for future aircraft design. It offers the possibility of designing or improving aircraft components with respect to a pre-specified figure of merit, subject to geometrical and physical constraints. Consequently, extensive research effort has recently been devoted to the development of efficient optimization strategies for industrial aerodynamic aircraft design. Adjoint flow solvers are one of the components required in order to establish an efficient numerical optimization capability. The development of adjoint flow solvers and their application in multi-disciplinary optimization (MDO) context are presented.