Application of 3D Inverse Design Method on a Transonic Compressor Stage

Abstract

In this paper, a three-dimensional viscous inverse design method is presented. The blade geometry is parameterized by aerodynamic variables such as blade loading, which allows direct control of the aerodynamic flow field. With a specified stacking axis and thickness distribution, the algorithm solves the flow field and blade geometry iteratively until the prescribed blade loading is matched. Meanwhile, the fast turn-around time of the inverse design method enables a substantial reduction of time and computational resources, which is particularly advantageous when the product development period is limited. The method is demonstrated through the redesign of an axial transonic compressor (Darmstadt Transonic Compressor), which has been extensively studied by experimental research and numerical simulations. The interaction between the shock wave, the tip clearance flow, and the boundary layer flow in the tip region is crucial for the compressor performance and operational stability. The redesigned compressor reduces the shock strength and the induced flow loss in the tip region through blade loading control. The performance improvement is verified by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations for a stage configuration. A detailed flow field is obtained and compared to the baseline design. The loss reduction mechanism is analyzed by using entropy production rate to better understand the design impact.