Iranian Journal of Mechanical Engineering Transactions of the ISME

Iranian Journal of Mechanical Engineering Transactions of the ISME

Geometry Improvement of an Asymmetric S-shaped Intake with a Combination of Artificial Neural Networks and Genetic Algorithm

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Asghar Fazli 1
Mohammad Mostafa Mahmoodi 2
1 MSc. Air Research Center, Air Industry Org, Tehran, Iran
2 Associate Professor, Faculty of Aerospace, Malek Ashtar University of Technology, Iran
10.30506/jmee.2024.2037135.1351
Abstract
The air intake duct provides the required air for the engine under various aircraft operating conditions. Therefore, designing an intake duct with minimum total pressure loss and maximum flow uniformity is of great importance. Non-uniform flow entering the engine leads to performance degradation and, in severe cases, can even cause surge and engine failure. In the present research, an asymmetric S-shaped air intake duct is optimized to reduce total pressure loss and flow distortion at the exit plane. The optimization process uses a genetic algorithm and an artificial neural network. It includes geometry modeling, mesh generation, three-dimensional simulations, database preparation, neural network training, and genetic algorithm optimization. The genetic algorithm uses the neural network to evaluate the objective function and identify the optimal geometry. A comparison of the optimized results with the baseline geometry shows a reduction of over 74% in flow distortion and over 16% in total pressure loss.
Keywords
Geometry improvement
S-shaped intake
Artificial neural networks
Genetic algorithm
Subjects
[1] J. R. Weske, "Pressure Loss in Ducts with Compound Elbows," February 1943 as Advance Restricted Report, No. NACA-WR-W-39, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), Washington, 1943, USA, 19930093515.pdf.
 
[2] S. Wellborn, B. Reichert, and T. Okiishi, "An Experimental Investigation of the Flow in a Diffusing S-duct," in 28th Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit, pp. 3622, 06 July 1992 - 08 July 1992, Nashville, TN, USA, https://doi.org/10.2514/6.1992-3622.
 
[3] A.-L. Delot, and R. Scharnhorst, "A Comparison of Several CFD Codes with Experimental Data in a Diffusing S-duct," in 49th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference, pp. 3796, July 14 - 17, 2013, San Jose, CA, https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2013-3796.
 
[4] C. Fiola, and R. K. Agarwal, "Simulation of Secondary and Separated Flow in a Diffusing S-duct using Four Different Turbulence Models," Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part G: Journal of Aerospace Engineering, Vol. 228, No. 11, pp. 1954-1963, 2014, https://doi.org/10.1177/0954410013507249.
 
[5] C. Chiang, D. Koo, and D. W. Zingg, "Aerodynamic Shape Optimization of an S-duct Intake for a Boundary-layer Ingesting Engine," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 59, No. 3, pp. 725-741, 2022, 10.2514/1.c036632.
 
[6] S. Ghosh, D. Pratihar, B. Maiti, and P. Das, "An Evolutionary Optimization of Diffuser Shapes Based on CFD Simulations," International Journal for Numerical Methods in Fluids, Vol. 63, No. 10, pp. 1147-1166, 2010, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijthermalsci.2010.106226.
 
[7] J. E. Hicken, and D. W. Zingg, "Aerodynamic Optimization Algorithm with Integrated Geometry Parameterization and Mesh Movement," AIAA Journal, Vol. 48, No. 2, pp. 400-413, 2010, https://doi.org/10.2514/1.44033.
[8] E. Immonen, "Shape Optimization of Annular S-ducts by CFD and High-order Polynomial Response Surfaces," Engineering Computations, Vol. 35, No. 2, pp. 932-954, 2018, https://doi.org/10.1108/EC-08-2017-0327.
 
[9] E. Manca, "Unsteady Aerodynamic Investigation of the Flow within an Optimized S-duct Intake," MSc Thesis, Cranfield University, UK, 2016.
 
[10] L. Zeng, D. Pan, S. Ye, and X. Shao, "A Fast Multiobjective Optimization Approach to S-duct Scoop Inlets Design with Both Inflow and Outflow," Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part G: Journal of Aerospace Engineering, Vol. 233, No. 9, pp. 3381-3394, 2019, https://doi.org/10.1177/0954410018795806.
 
[11] H. Parhrizkar, K. K. Aminjan, M. M. Doustdar, and A. Heydari, "Optimization of S-shaped Air Intake by Computational Fluid Dynamics," International Journal of Fluid Mechanics & Thermal Sciences, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 36, 2019, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/358898524.
 
[12] F. Furlan, N. Chiereghin, T. Kipouros, E. Benini, and M. Savill, "Computational Design of S-duct Intakes for Distributed Propulsion," Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology: an International Journal, Vol. 86, No. 6, pp. 473-477, 2014, https://doi.org/10.1108/AEAT-04-2014-0046.
 
[13] R. Tridello, "Comparison of Genetic and Tabu Search Algorithms in Aerodynamic Design of S-ducts," Master's Thesis, Master's Degree in Aerospace Engineering, Department of Industrial Engineering DII, University of Padova, Italy, 14 Jul. 2017, https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12608/27573.
 
[14] A. Rigobello, "A Multi-objective Shape Optimization of an S-duct Intake through NSGA-II Genetic Algorithm," Master's Degree Course in Aerospace Engineering, Department of Industrial Engineering DII, University of Padova, Italy, 2016, https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12608/24630.
 
[15] N. Chiereghin L, Guglielmi, M. Savill, T, Kipouros, E. Manca, A. Rigobello, M. Barison and E. Benini "Shape Optimization of a Curved Duct with Free form Deformations," in 23rd AIAA Computational Fluid Dynamics Conference, pp. 4114, Denver, Colorado, USA, 2017, https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2017-4114.
 
[16] A. D’ambros, T. Kipouros, P. Zachos, M. Savill, and E. Benini, "Computational Design Optimization for S-ducts," Designs, Vol. 2, No. 4, pp. 36, 2018, https://doi.org/10.3390/designs2040036.
 
[17] W. Gan and X. Zhang, "Design Optimization of a Three-dimensional Diffusing S-duct using a Modified SST Turbulent Model," Aerospace Science and Technology, Vol. 63, pp. 63-72, 2017, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ast.2016.12.016.
 
[18] A. Meneghin, "Three-objective Optimization Studies of an S-duct," MSc Thesis,  Department of Industrial Engineering, MSc in Aerospace Engineering, University of Padova, Italy, 2020, https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12608/21111.
 
[19] V. Kamat, V. Rao, M. Xu, and S. Saxena, "Flow Distortion Based S-duct Optimization using Adjoint Methodology," in AIAA Aviation 2020 Forum, pp. 2755, 2020, https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2020-2755.
 
[20] S. Sadatpour, A. Madadi, and R. Ahadian, "Numerical Optimization of S-shaped Intake Performance using Special Cross-sectional Profiles," Thermophysics and Aeromechanics, Vol. 29, No. 5, pp. 689-702, 2022,  https://doi.org/10.1134/S0869864322050079.