Geometry Generator for CFD and Applied Aerodynamics

Abstract

9.1 Introduction This chapter is intended to combine the knowledge bases of applied geometry with those of hy-drodynamics and aerodynamics, including the modest additions presented in the two previous book chapters focusing on the interaction between compressible flow with shock waves and flow boundary conditions. The need to have flexible tools for effectively influencing the phenomena occurring in high speed flow calls for development of fast and flexible software to create shapes in a way to have easy access to the crucial shape-generating parameters controlling these flow phenomena, and at the same time observe the constraints given by structural and other practical limitations. Renewed interest in Supersonic Civil Transport (SCT) or High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) calls for extensive computational simulation of nearly every aspect of design and devel-opment in the whole system. CAD methods are available presently for many applications in the design phase. Nevertheless, work in early aerodynamic design lacks computational tools which enable the engineer to perform quick comparative calculations with gradually varying configu-rations or their components. To perform aerodynamic optimization, surface modelling is needed which allows parametric variations of wing sections, planforms, leading and trailing edges, camber, twist and control surfaces, to mention only the wing. The same is true for fuselage, empennage, engines and integration of these components. This can be supported in principle by modern Computer Aided Design (CAD) methods, but data preprocessing for numerical flow simulation (CFD) calls for more directly coupled software which should be handled