Integrated multifidelity, multidisciplinary evolutionary design optimization of counterrotating compressors

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Joly, Michael M.^{; *} | Verstraete, Tom | Paniagua, Guillermo

Affiliations: Turbomachinery and Propulsion Department, von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics, Rhode Saint Genèse, Belgium

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Michael M. Joly, Turbomachinery and Propulsion Department, von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics, 72 Chaussée de Waterloo, B-1640 Rhode Saint Genèse, Belgium. E-mail: [email protected].

Abstract: In high-speed air-breathing propulsion, compact turbomachinery is essential to reduce the engine size and weight. Hence, high compression ratios are required in the compressor stages. This paper proposes an optimization-based integrated design approach, which unifies aerodynamic and structural issues and provides innovative solutions in reduced time-to-market and development cost compared to traditional design methods. The methodology consists of two successive evolutionary optimizations; the first with low-fidelity radial distributions based on experimental correlations and the second with high-fidelity aerostructural performances. The key to allow a smooth transition between the low-fidelity preliminary design phase and the high-fidelity three-dimensional rotor shape optimization is a novel geometrical parameterization based on span-wise distributions. A differential evolution algorithm is employed to confront simultaneously the concurrent multidisciplinary objectives of aerodynamic efficiency and structural integrity. The proposed methodology was demonstrated with the design of a two-stage highly loaded compact counterrotating compressor.

Keywords: Evolutionary computing, differential evolution, multidisciplinary design optimization, turbomachinery, counterrotating compressor

DOI: 10.3233/ICA-140463

Journal: Integrated Computer-Aided Engineering, vol. 21, no. 3, pp. 249-261, 2014