Optimization of Effective Body Geometry for Viscous-Inviscid Interaction Problems
11th International Conference on Recent Advances in Air and Space Technologies, Conference Program, RAST 2026, İstanbul, Türkiye, 13 - 15 Mayıs 2026, (Tam Metin Bildiri)
- Yayın Türü: Bildiri / Tam Metin Bildiri
- Doi Numarası: 10.1109/rast69551.2026.11672647
- Basıldığı Şehir: İstanbul
- Basıldığı Ülke: Türkiye
- Anahtar Kelimeler: aerodynamics, optimization, panel method, thwaites method, viscous-inviscid interaction
- Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Inviscid aerodynamic analyses provide fast results at moderate fidelity during the conceptual design phase; however, they are unable to capture viscous effects. In this study, a viscous-inviscid interaction method is presented by coupling a source-vortex panel method with the Thwaites integral boundary layer model. The interaction is formulated as a nonlinear unconstrained optimization problem, in which the displacement thickness is iteratively updated to ensure consistency between the inviscid outer flow and the viscous boundary layer. Unlike fully coupled approaches, the proposed method offers a flexible structure in which viscous and inviscid solvers can be used independently without requiring direct modification of their internal codes. Validation studies conducted over a range of Reynolds numbers show that the predicted lift coefficients are in good agreement with XFOIL results, with a mean absolute error of approximately 0.04. The predicted drag coefficients remain consistently lower than the reference data due to the fully laminar flow assumption. In addition, the method demonstrates high numerical stability and robust convergence behavior. By providing a stable and efficient intermediate solution between potential flow methods and high-fidelity solvers, the proposed approach serves as a practical tool for aircraft preliminary design.