03.1 - Aerodynamics – CFD Methods and Validation
EFFICIENT SHAPE OPTIMIZATION IN AERONAUTICS: INTEGRATING PARAMETRIC CAD AND MESH MORPHING FOR ENHANCED AERODYNAMIC PERFORMANCE
A. Lopez¹, G. Magrì², U. Cella¹, G. Urso, RBF Morph srl, Italy; F. Della Barba², M.-E. Biancolini¹; ¹Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Italy ;²Università degli studi di Padova, Italy
Shape optimization is a critical aspect in the field of aeronautics, especially considering the increasing electrification and, consequently, the need to reduce consumption and enhance aerodynamic performance to extend the aircraft's autonomy. Another critical aspect is the reduction of computation times, given the lengthy durations of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations and the necessity to run multiple simulations to create a significant dataset for shape optimization. This article proposes an innovative optimization workflow that combines the benefits of key conventional methods: parametric Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and mesh morphing. The concept involves using scriptable CAD editor, specifically ESP (Engineering Sketch Pad) to generate Design Points (DPs). The workflow is highly flexible and can be adapted to other CAD editors as well. Tests have already been conducted using CadQuery (an open-source Python library), JPAD (a startup from the University of Naples Federico II), and AxCent (a commercial software program).rnBy comparing the baseline CAD with updated CAD versions, a cloud of points is created, which can be employed to deform the mesh. This deformation utilizes a mesh morphing technique based on Radial Basis Functions (RBF). The workflow is entirely automated and has been applied to the Open Parametric Aircraft Model (OPAM). The results were highly promising in terms of efficiency improvement.rn