Three-Dimensional Flow Optimization of a Nozzle with a Continuous Adjoint

The article presents results of multi-criteria optimization of air nozzle topology. The optimization in the CFD has been recently developed since equations of flow in porous media were applied among others governing equations. Optimization is a seeking for extremum of an objective function with respect to the function constraints. With this definition in mind, the optimization by using a continuous adjoint for the current cases is a finding such channel topology which minimizes for example pressure or energy loss when the constraints of objective function are in the form of flow governing equations of momentum and continuity. This methodology of optimization makes a design process faster comparing to the methods related to Design of Experiments (DoE). However, for the sake of flow governing equations nonlinearity, the continuous adjoint method can be successfully applied only in relatively simply and steady-state cases. The reason is of possibility of finding the global extremum of the objective function only for that kind of cases. The results of optimization of two selected cases are presented in the article and show advantages and limitations of the method applied. The continuous adjoint simulation results indicate the nozzles design directions and can be applied in industry with limited reliability. The object of research reported in the article is the nozzle which is augmented equipment used with a pneumatic pulsator. The pulsators are devices that utilize an air stream to destruct vaults created in loose material structure. The pulsator productivity equipped with a nozzle depends on outlet pressure. Therefore, the optimization problem was stated so that pressure loss is to be as low as possible.