Optimizing Gas Turbine Performance Using the Surrogate Management Framework and High-Fidelity Flow Modeling

Abstract

This work couples high-fidelity moving-domain finite element compressible flow modeling with a Surrogate Management Framework (SMF) for optimization to effectively design a variable speed gas turbine stage. The superior accuracy of high-fidelity modeling, however, comes with relatively high computational costs, which are further amplified in the iterative design process that relies on parametric sweeps. An innovative approach is developed to reduce the number of iterations needed for optimal design, leading to a significant reduction in the computational cost without sacrificing the high fidelity of the analysis. The proposed design optimization approach is applied to a novel incidence-tolerant turbomachinery blade technology that articulates the stator- and rotor-blade positions of an annular single-stage high pressure turbine to achieve peak performance. This work also extends our understanding of rotor–stator interactions by simulating complex internal flows occurring during multi-speed turbine operation. Potential variable-speed gas turbine stage designs and the proposed optimization approach are presented to provide valuable insight into this new turbomachinery technology that can positively impact future propulsion systems.

High-resolution multi-domain space–time isogeometric analysis of car and tire aerodynamics with road contact and tire deformation and rotation

“…The classes of problems computed with the ALE-SUPS, RBVMS, and ALE-VMS include wind turbines , turbomachinery [60][61][62][63][64][65][66], stratified flows [67,68], bridges [69][70][71][72][73], marine applications [74][75][76], free-surface flows [77][78][79][80][81], two-phase flows [82][83][84][85][86][87][88], additive manufacturing [89], aircraft applications [90,91], hypersonic flows [92], parachutes [33], cardiovascular medicine [34,[93][94][95][96][97][98][99][100][101][102][103][104][105][106], mixed ALE-VMS immersogeometric analysis ...…”

Stabilized methods for high-speed compressible flows: toward hypersonic simulations

“…Some of the earliest compressible-flow computations with the SUPG plus DC method in complex engineering problems were reported in 1990s, for a delta-wing in [29,52], for a commercial aircraft in [29], for a missile in [53], for two high-speed trains in a tunnel in [30], and for a fighter aircraft in [30]. Most recently, the SUPG formulation was also successfully applied to several complex engineering problems in compressible flow regime such as gas turbines [44,54,55], rotorcraft [56], full vehicle aerodynamics [57], spacecraft parachute aerodynamics [58,59], and related applications in incompressible regime (e.g. analysis of the turbocharger [60,61]), however, little research has been dedicated to investigating the method in hypersonic flow regimes.…”