CADO: a Computer Aided Design and Optimization Tool for Turbomachinery Applications

This paper presents an optimization tool used for the design of turbomachinery components. It is based on a metamodel assisted evolutionary approach combined with a Computer Aided Design (CAD) library for the shape generation. The analysis of the components performance is performed by Computational Solid Mechanics (CSM) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Typical optimization problems include the design of axial and radial compressors/turbines. One important aspect in shape optimization of turbomachinery components is their parameterization. A detailed description of the parameterization and choice of parameters is discussed. A robust geometry generation tool is presented with special care for detailed geometrical features such as fillet radii. The success of automated designs depends as well on the robustness of the grid generation process, which is also discussed. Several examples illustrate the capabilities of the presented approach. The use of optimization techniques allows to speed up the design process and introduces innovative designs.