Application of the adjoint optimisation of shock control bump for ONERA-M6 wing

Abstract

This article is devoted to the numerical investigation of the shock wave/boundary layer interaction (SWBLI) as the main factor influencing the aerodynamic performance of transonic bumped airfoils and wings. The numerical analysis is conducted for the ONERA-M6 wing through a shock control bump (SCB) shape optimisation process using the adjoint optimisation method. SWBLI is analyzed for both clean and bumped airfoils and wings, and it is shown how the modified wave structure originating from upstream of the SCB reduces the wave drag, by improving the boundary layer velocity profile downstream of the shock wave. The numerical simulation of the turbulent viscous flow and a gradient-based adjoint algorithm are used to find the optimum location and shape of the SCB for the ONERA-M6 airfoil and wing. Two different geometrical models are introduced for the 3D SCB, one with linear variations, and another with periodic variations. Both configurations result in drag reduction and improvement in the aerodynamic efficiency, but the periodic model is more effective. Although the three-dimensional flow structure involves much more complexities, the overall results are shown to be similar to the two-dimensional case.

Keywords:

• Transonic wing
• drag reduction
• shock control bump
• adjoint optimisation method
• three-dimensional bump

Acknowledgement

The authors acknowledge that there is no funding source for this study.