A multidisciplinary optimization to simultaneously enhance the aerodynamic and aeroacoustic performance of an axial-flow fan was performed. Flow analysis through the axial-flow fan was conducted by solving three-dimensional steady and unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations with the shear-stress transport turbulence model. Starting with the results for the unsteady flow, aeroacoustic analysis was performed by solving the Ffowcs Williams–Hawkings equations. A single-objective optimization for high-efficiency design was carried out before the multi-objective optimization. The single-objective optimization was conducted using a weighted average surrogate model with five design variables defining the hub-to-tip ratio, hubcap installation distance, hubcap ratio, and angle distributions at the midspan and blade tip. The objective function (i.e., the efficiency) was evaluated at the design points, sampled by Latin hypercube sampling in the design space, to construct the surrogate model. Then, multi-objective optimization on the basis of the single-objective optimization result was performed to simultaneously improve the efficiency and reduce the sound pressure level through a hybrid multi-objective evolutionary algorithm coupled with a response surface approximation surrogate model with two design variables defining the sweep and lean angles at the blade tip. These objective functions were numerically accessed through the aerodynamic and aeroacoustic analyses. Arbitrary selected optimum designs in the Pareto-optimal solutions yielded increases in efficiency and decreases in the sound pressure level compared to the reference design.
Optimization of the Aerodynamic and Aeroacoustic Performance of an Axial-Flow Fan
AIAA Journal ; 52 , 9 ; 2032-2044
2014-09-01
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
English