Computational Fluid Dynamics Based Aerodynamic Optimization of the Wind Tunnel Primary Nozzle

The aerodynamic shape optimization of the supersonic flat nozzle is the aim of proposed paper. The nozzle discussed, is applied as a primary nozzle of the inlet part of supersonic wind tunnel. Supersonic nozzles of the measure area inlet parts need to guarantee several requirements of flow properties and quality. Mach number and minimal differences between real and required velocity and turbulence profiles at the nozzle exit are the most important parameters to meet. The aerodynamic shape optimization of the flat 2D nozzle in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is employed to reach as uniform exit velocity profile as possible, with the mean Mach number 1.4. Optimization process does not use any of standard routines of global or local optimum searching. Instead, newly formed routine, which exploits shape-based oriented sequence of nozzles, is used to research within whole discretized parametric space. The movement within optimization process is not driven by gradient or evolutionary too, instead, the Path of Minimal Shape Deformation is followed. Dynamic mesh approach is used to deform the shape and mesh from the actual nozzle to the subsequent one. Dynamic deformation of mesh allows to speed up whole converging process as an initialization of flow at the newly formed mesh is based on afore-computed shape. Shape-based similarity query in field of supersonic nozzles is discussed and applied. Evolutionary technique with genetic algorithm is used to search for minimal deformational path. As a result, the best variant from the set of solved shapes is analyzed at the base of momentum coefficient and desired Mach number at the nozzle exit.