Constrained multi-objective aerofoil design using a multi-level optimisation strategy

2015 ◽  
Vol 119 (1217) ◽  
pp. 833-854
Author(s):  
L. Cameron ◽  
J. Early ◽  
R. McRoberts ◽  
M. Price

AbstractA novel approach for the multi-objective design optimisation of aerofoil profiles is presented. The proposed method aims to exploit the relative strengths of global and local optimisation algorithms, whilst using surrogate models to limit the number of computationally expensive CFD simulations required. The local search stage utilises a re-parameterisation scheme that increases the flexibility of the geometry description by iteratively increasing the number of design variables, enabling superior designs to be generated with minimal user intervention. Capability of the algorithm is demonstrated via the conceptual design of aerofoil sections for use on a lightweight laminar flow business jet. The design case is formulated to account for take-off performance while reducing sensitivity to leading edge contamination. The algorithm successfully manipulates boundary layer transition location to provide a potential set of aerofoils that represent the trade-offs between drag at cruise and climb conditions in the presence of a challenging constraint set. Variations in the underlying flow physics between Pareto-optimal aerofoils are examined to aid understanding of the mechanisms that drive the trade-offs in objective functions.

1987 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clifford J. Obara ◽  
C. P. van Dam

In this paper, foil and planform parameters which govern the level of viscous drag produced by the keel of a sailing yacht are discussed. It is shown that the application of laminar boundary-Layer flow offers great potential for increased boat speed resulting from the reduction in viscous drag. Three foil shapes have been designed and it is shown that their hydro­dynamic characteristics are very much dependent on location and mode of boundary-Layer transition. The planform parameter which strongly affects the capabilities of the keel to achieve laminar flow is lea ding-edge sweep angle. The two significant phenomena related to keel sweep angle which can cause premature transition of the laminar boundary layer are crossflow instability and turbulent contamination of the leading-edge attachment line. These flow phenomena and methods to control them are discussed in detail. The remaining factors that affect the maintainability of laminar flow include surface roughness, surface waviness, and freestream turbulence. Recommended limits for these factors are given to insure achievability of laminar flow on the keel. In addition, the application of a simple trailing-edge flap to improve the hydrodynamic characteristics of a foil at moderate-to-high leeway angles is studied.


Author(s):  
Jonathan H. Watmuff

Experiments are described in which well-defined FSN (Free Stream Nonuniformity) distributions are introduced by placing fine wires upstream of the leading edge of a flat plate. Large amplitude spanwise thickness variations are present in the downstream boundary layer resulting from the interaction of the laminar wakes with the leading edge. Regions of elevated background unsteadiness appear on either side of the peak layer thickness, which share many of the characteristics of Klebanoff modes, observed at elevated Free Stream Turbulence (FST) levels. However, for the low background disturbance level of the free stream, the layer remains laminar to the end of the test section (Rx ≈ l.4×106) and there is no evidence of bursting or other phenomena associated with breakdown to turbulence. A vibrating ribbon apparatus is used to demonstrate that the deformation of the mean flow is responsible for substantial phase and amplitude distortion of Tollmien-Schlichting (TS) waves. Pseudo-flow visualization of hot-wire data shows that the breakdown of the distorted waves is more complex and occurs at a lower Reynolds number than the breakdown of the K-type secondary instability observed when the FSN is not present.


Author(s):  
Stefan Becker ◽  
Donald M. McEligot ◽  
Edmond Walsh ◽  
Eckart Laurien

New results are deduced to assess the validity of proposed transition indicators when applied to situations other than boundary layers on smooth surfaces. The geometry employed utilizes a two-dimensional square rib to disrupt the boundary layer flow. The objective is to determine whether some available criteria are consistent with the present measurements of laminar recovery and transition for the flow downstream of this rib. For the present data — the proposed values of thresholds for transition in existing literature that are based on the freestream turbulence level at the leading edge are not reached in the recovering laminar run but they are not exceeded in the transitioning run either. Of the pointwise proposals examined, values of the suggested quantity were consistent for three of the criteria; that is, they were less than the threshold in laminar recovery and greater than it in the transitioning case.


2014 ◽  
Vol 590 ◽  
pp. 53-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dinesh Bhatia ◽  
Guang Jun Yang ◽  
Jing Sun ◽  
Jian Wang

Boundary layers are affected by a number of different factors. Transition of the boundary layer is very sensitive to changes in geometry, velocity and turbulence levels. An understanding of the flow characteristics over a flat plate subjected to changes in geometry, velocity and turbulence is essential to try and understand boundary layer transition. Experiments were conducted in Low Turbulence wind tunnel (LTWT) at Northwestern Polytechnical University (NWPU), China to understand the effects due to changes in geometric profiles on boundary layer transition. The leading edge of the flat plate was changed and several different configurations ranging from Aspect Ratio (AR) 1 to 12 were used. Turbulence level was kept constant at 0.02% and the velocity was kept at default value of 30 m/s. The results indicated that as the AR increases, boundary layer thickness reduces at the same location along the plate. The displacement thickness shows that the fluctuations increase with an increase with AR which denotes the effect of leading edge on turbulence spot’s production. For AR≥4, an increase in AR led to an elongation of the transition zone and a delay in transition onset. Nomenclature


1985 ◽  
Vol 107 (1) ◽  
pp. 127-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. P. Hodson

The state of the boundary layers near the leading edge of a high-speed turbine blade has been investigated, in cascade, using an array of surface-mounted, constant-temperature, hot-film anemometers. The measurements are interpreted with the aid of inviscid and viscous prediction codes. The effects of Reynolds number, compressibility, incidence, and free-stream turbulence are described. In all cases, the initial development of the boundary layers was extremely complex and, even at design conditions, separation and reattachment, transition and relaminarization were found to occur.


1989 ◽  
Vol 33 (02) ◽  
pp. 145-155
Author(s):  
Clifford J. Obara ◽  
C. P. van Dam

Foil and planform parameters which govern the level of viscous drag produced by the keel of a sailing yacht are discussed. It is shown that the application of laminar boundary-layer flow offers great potential for increased boat speed resulting from the reduction in viscous drag. Three foil shapes have been designed and it is shown that their hydrodynamic characteristics are very much dependent on location and mode of boundary-layer transition. The planform parameter which strongly affects the capabilities of the keel to achieve laminar flow is leading-edge sweep angle. The two significant phenomena related to keel sweep angle which can cause premature transition of the laminar boundary layer are crossflow instability and turbulent contamination of the leading-edge attachment line. These flow phenomena and methods to control them are discussed in detail. The remaining factors that affect the maintainability of laminar flow include surface roughness, surface waviness, and freestream turbulence. Recommended limits for these factors are given to insure achievability of laminar flow on the keel. In addition, the application of a simple trailing-edge flap to improve the hydrodynamic characteristics of a foil at moderate-to-high leeway angles is studied.


1999 ◽  
Vol 122 (2) ◽  
pp. 301-307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark W. Pinson ◽  
Ting Wang

An experimental study was conducted to investigate surface heat transfer and boundary layer development associated with flow over a flat test surface covered with two roughness scales. Two-scale roughness was used because in-service aeroengines commonly display larger roughness concentrated at the leading edge with smaller roughness distributed downstream. The first scale, covering up to the first 5 cm of the test surface, was in the form of a sandpaper strip, an aluminum strip, or a cylinder. The second roughness scale covered the remainder of the test surface (2 m) in the form of sandpaper or a smooth surface. In Part 1, the surface heat transfer results are examined. Even though the roughness scales were hydraulically smooth, they induced significantly earlier transition onset, with the two-dimensional roughness causing earlier transition than three-dimensional roughness. All of the rough/smooth cases unexpectedly triggered earlier transition than rough/rough cases. This indicated that the scale of the step-change at the joint between two roughness scales was predominant over the downstream roughness on inducing early transition. Reducing the overall height of the step change was shown to have a greater effect on transition than the specific geometry of the roughness scale. [S0889-504X(00)00701-7]


1995 ◽  
Vol 297 ◽  
pp. 101-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masahito Asai ◽  
Michio Nishioka

Subcritical transition in a flat-plate boundary layer is examined experimentally through observing its nonlinear response to energetic hairpin eddies acoustically excited at the leading edge of the boundary-layer plate. When disturbed by the hairpin eddies convecting from the leading edge, the near-wall flow develops local three-dimensional wall shear layers with streamwise vortices. Such local wall shear layers also evolve into hairpin eddies in succession to lead to the subcritical transition beyond the x-Reynolds number Rx = 3.9 × 104, where the momentum thickness Reynolds number Rθ is 127 for laminar Blasius flow without excitation, and is about 150 under the excitation of energetic hairpin eddies. It is found that in terms of u- and v-fluctuations, the intensity of the near-wall activity at this critical station is of almost the same order as or slightly less than that of the developed wall turbulence. The development of wall turbulence structure in this transition is also examined.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Schuster ◽  
S. Wilson ◽  
A.D. Rodewal ◽  
P. Arcese ◽  
D. Fink ◽  
...  

AbstractLimited knowledge of the distribution, abundance, and habitat associations of migratory species introduces uncertainty about the most effective conservation actions. We used Neotropical migratory birds as a model group to evaluate contrasting approaches to land prioritization to support ≥30% of the global abundances of 117 species throughout the annual cycle in the Western hemisphere. Conservation targets were achieved in 43% less land area in plans based on annual vs. weekly optimizations. Plans agnostic to population structure required comparatively less land area to meet targets, but at the expense of representation. Less land area was also needed to meet conservation targets when human-dominated lands were included rather than excluded from solutions. Our results point to key trade-offs between efforts minimizing the opportunity costs of conservation vs. those ensuring spatiotemporal representation of populations, and demonstrate a novel approach to the conservation of migratory species based on leading-edge abundance models and linear programming to identify portfolios of priority landscapes and inform conservation planners.


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