Three-dimensional automatic optimization method for turbomachinery blade design

Abstract

In deriving automatic numerical optimization algorithms for aerodynamic applications, it is quite important to choose a suitable cost function and a suitable set of design parameters. The unknown airfoil/blade profiles are usually chosen to be the design parameters. However, there are certain advantages in using the pressure/velocity distribution as the design variable in some applications; the optimized distribution can be used in a three-dimensional inverse design method to generate the actual profile shape. In this paper this approach will be addressed. Two methods are used to parameterize the circulation distribution for compressor blades. The Dawes code is used to calculate the viscous effect. An automatic optimization algorithm is developed, and two objective functions defined by the entropy loss or the aerodynamic blockage are examined.