Quantum computing meets compressible aerodynamics - The challenging path to the next generation of aerodynamic simulation

Kurzfassung

Accurately simulating turbulent, compressible fluids remains a major computational challenge for the aviation industry and a key to achieving future climate goals. Despite advances in computational fluid dynamics (CFD), limitations in turbulence models and the immense cost of high-fidelity simulations make scale-resolving full-aircraft simulations unrealistic. Quantum computing could overcome these barriers, as even few qubits can represent vast degrees of freedom. However, due to numerous obstacles such as the restriction to unitary operators, the read-out problem, and the limited availability of actual quantum hardware, the development of efficient algorithms for solving fluid mechanics equations is a real scientific challenge. This presentation highlights current efforts within the DLR QCI project ToQuaFlics to explore the potential of quantum computing for aerodynamic simulations.