Model-Driven Optimization for the Conceptual Design of Aeroengine Turbine Flow Path

In the conceptual design process of aeroengines, the thermal parameters and the fundamental structure must be determined. To reduce iterative adjustments between the conceptual and detailed design, it is necessary to obtain a method that can meet the performance requirements quickly and accurately. At the same time, considering the different methods of subject-level modeling, a tool is needed to support the data interaction of the analysis model. Therefore, an optimization approach combining multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) and model-based systems engineering (MBSE) is proposed for conceptual design. Taking turbine flow path as the research object, a MBSE-MDO framework for overall design is proposed. First, a Requirements, Functional, Logical, Physical (RFLP) modeling procedure is applied in this study to implement the entire design process from requirements to system architecture. Based on semantic modeling technology, the automatic transformation of the knowledge representation of the model is realized. Then, relying on the consistency and scalability provided by semantic modeling, MDO is performed. With fuel consumption, weight, and noise as the system-level optimization objectives, aerodynamics, heat, and structural strength are considered as disciplinary constraints. The main cycle parameters for specific scenarios and requirements are obtained. Finally, validation at the early stage of the design is performed to ensure that the design meets the defined requirements. The accuracy of the overall design results is verified based on the existing engine data. The average error of the design parameters is 1.55% and the maximum error is 3.02%. It indicates that the design method proposed in the paper meets the accuracy requirements for engine-related parameters in the overall design phase. The method proposed in this study is expected to rapidly and accurately obtain design parameters that meet the performance requirements, thereby reducing the development cycle of the turbine flow path. Based on the optimization of turbine flow path in this paper, the optimization design of other components can be further carried out to realize the overall optimization, laying a technical foundation for the overall multidisciplinary optimization design.