Quantum Computing CFD Simulations for Aeronautical Heat Exchangers

Abstract

This document is meant to review and discuss the possible applications of Quantum computing to computational fluid dynamics (CFD) problems. A review of the current state-of-the-art of quantum computing applied to computational fluid dynamics has been carried out, highlining how the technology is still in an early stage of development but very promising. Quantum computing is a type of computation that harnesses the collective properties of quantum states, such as superposition, interference, and entanglement, to perform calculations. The devices that perform quantum computations are known as quantum computers. Quantum Computing is currently a very active field of study and development, with expected applications in various fields, including engineering problems. Indeed, several approaches have been proposed for the solutions of CFD problems with the use of quantum algorithms and / or quantum computers. Possible approaches, applicable to compact heat exchangers used in aeronautics, include the development of quantum algorithms, e.g., based on the solutions of Navier Stokes equations or the Lattice Boltzmann Method., the design of an "analog" quantum computer able to mimic the thermal fluid system under investigation, and, finally, the implementation of a scientific machine learning approach.