Application of a global Sensitivity Screening Method for Design Space Exploration of coupled Turbofan Engine Perfromance and Preliminary Design

Abstract

Multidisciplinary preliminary engine design involves a large number of tools and participants. The highly iterative and multidisciplinary workflows make it difficult to evaluate the influence of individual design parameters on the final result. With high-dimensional parameter studies the design space of the system can be investigated. However, the evaluation of the results can rapidly become very challenging. The screening method of elementary effects according to Morris as a method of global sensitivity analysis (GSA) can provide useful insights from even a small number of evaluations. Especially a reduction of the dimensionality due to factor fixing of input parameters with low influence on the problem and factor prioritization of important parameters are addressed by GSA. The purpose of the paper is to demonstrate the application of the method by means of a coupled process which includes performance calculations of the entire engine system and preliminary design of a high-pressure compressor. The variation of input parameters of the different disciplines will be investigated and it will be shown that the Morris screening characteristics allow the evaluation of parameters within the design space in particular with regard to a classification of the significance for the result variables. This shows in the application example that in the comparison parameters with a clear influence emerge from both disciplines.