Multidisciplinary and multiple operating points shape optimization of three-dimensional compressor blades

Abstract

The recent progress in simulation technologies in several fields such as computational fluid dynamics, structures, thermal analysis, and unsteady flow combined with the emergence of improved optimization algorithms makes it now possible to develop and use automatic optimization software and methodologies to perform complex multidisciplinary shape optimization process. In the present applications, the MAX optimization software developed at CENAERO is used to perform the optimization. This software allows performing derivative free optimization with very few calls to the computer intensive simulation software. The method employed in this paper combines the use of a genetic algorithm (with real coding of the variables) to an approximate (or meta) model to accelerate significantly the optimization process. The performance of this optimization methodology is illustrated on the optimization of three-dimensional turbomachinery blades for multiple operating points and multidisciplinary objectives and constraints. The NASA rotor 67 geometry is used to demonstrate the capabilities of the method. The aim is to find the optimal shape for three different operating conditions: one at a near peak efficiency point, one at choked mass flow, and one near the stall flow. The three points are analyzed at the same blade rotational speed but with different mass flows. A finite element structural mechanics software is used to compute the static and dynamic mechanical responses of the blade. A Navier–Stokes solver is used to calculate the aerodynamic performance. High performance computers (HPC) are used in this application. Cenaero’s HPC infrastructure contains a Linux cluster with 170 3.06 GHz Xeon processors. The optimization algorithm is parallelized using MPI.