Aviation industry is constantly striving for more efficient design processes in respect to optimal time, human and computational resources utilization. This implies a need for application of an approximation techniques enabling for fast responses generation with maintained level of results quality. This study focuses on an advancement of aerodynamic shape optimization process of a small aircraft engine intake system by introduction of a surrogate modelling step into the design loop. The multi-objective metamodel assisted optimization is carried out in order to reduce pressure losses along the engine intake duct and increase flow homogeneity at the engine compressor intake plane. Latin Hypercube Design method is utilized in order to sample the design space. A set of initial objective function evaluations is generated with application of Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes solver. The ensemble of samples is further used to train a Kriging-based surrogate model. The Efficient Global Optimization algorithm basing on the Expected Improvement function is employed to gradually increase the metamodel prediction quality by usage of sequential sampling technique. Finally, the optimal point predicted by the Kriging surrogate is validated against the high-fidelity model with usage of the Computational Fluid Dynamics code. The paper presents an application of the abovementioned methodology to the design process of the I-31T aircraft turboprop engine intake system. Proposed Kriging-based optimization workflow is utilized in order to reduce pressure losses and improve flow homogeneity in the engine air-intake duct.

The forecasted growth in dynamic global air fleet size in the coming decades, together with the need to introduce disruptive technologies supporting net-zero emission air transport, demands more efficient design and optimization workflows. This research focuses on developing an aerodynamic optimization framework suited for multi-objective studies of small aircraft engine air-intake ducts in multiple flight conditions. In addition to the refinement of the duct’s performance criteria, the work aims to improve the economic efficiency of the process. The optimization scheme combines the advantages of Kriging-based Efficient Global Optimization (EGO) with the Radial Basis Functions (RBF)-based mesh morphing technique and the Chebyshev-type Achievement Scalarizing Function (ASF) for handling multiple objectives and design points. The proposed framework is applied to an aerodynamic optimization study of an I-31T aircraft turboprop engine intake system. The workflow successfully reduces the air-duct pressure losses and mitigates the flow distortion at the engine compressor’s front face in three considered flight phases. The results prove the framework’s potential for solving complex multi-point air-intake duct problems and the capacity of the ASF-based formulation to guide optimization toward the designer’s preferred objective targets.

Autonomous underwater gliders are buoyancy propelled vehicles. Their way of propulsion relies upon changing their buoyancy with internal pumping systems enabling them up and down motions, and their forward gliding motions are generated by hydrodynamic lift forces exerted on a pair of wings attached to a glider hull. In this study lift and drag characteristics of a glider were performed using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) approach and results were compared with the literature. Flow behavior, lift and drag forces distribution at different angles of attack were studied for Reynolds numbers varying around 105 for NACA0012 wing configurations. The variable of the glider was the angle of attack, the velocity was constant. Flow velocity was 0.5 m/s and angle of the body varying from −8° to 8° in steps of 2°. Results from the CFD constituted the basis for the calculation the equations of motions of glider in the vertical plane. Therefore, vehicle motion simulation was achieved through numeric integration of the equations of motion. The equations of motions will be solved in the MatLab software. This work will contribute to dynamic modelling and three-dimensional motion simulation of a torpedo shaped underwater glider.