Single and High-Lift Airfoil Design Optimization Using Aerodynamic Sensitivity Analysis

Aerodynamic sensitivity analysis is performed for the Navier-Stokes equations coupled with two-equation turbulence models using a discrete adjoint method and a direct differentiation method respectively. Like the mean flow equations, the turbulence model equations are also hand-differentiated to accurately calculate the sensitivity derivatives of flow quantities with respect to design variables in turbulent viscous flows. The sensitivity codes are then compared with the flow solver in terms of solution accuracy, computing time and computer memory requirements. The sensitivity derivatives obtained from the sensitivity codes with different turbulence models are compared with each other. The capability of the present sensitivity codes to treat complex geometry is successfully demonstrated by analyzing the flows over multi-element airfoils on Chimera overlaid grid systems.