Publications

To improve performance and reduce fuel consumption, we must address tightly connected aeropropulsive effects in the development of new and existing propulsion technologies. Aeropropulsive design optimization considers the multidisciplinary coupled interactions between aerodynamics, thermodynamics, and geometry. Mixed-fidelity aeropropulsive methods integrate high-fidelity aerodynamic solvers with zero-dimensional thermodynamic cycle modeling. Combined with gradient-based optimization, this approach is a computationally efficient design tool that can accommodate large design spaces with many design variables and constraints. Previously, we developed a novel hybrid aeropropulsive coupling method for turbofan engines and demonstrated its feasibility using a single-design-point problem. In this work, we improve upon the prior approach and perform the first successful coupled aeropropulsive optimization of a high-bypass turbofan. We analyze the optimized turbofan design and validate the corrections to the hybrid coupling scheme. The updated coupling methods are a significant advancement in aeropropulsive optimization that enable the design of tightly integrated propulsion systems considering thermodynamic and aerodynamic performance.