An automated design optimization tool for electromagnetic control of hypersonic flows /

There has been computational work to analyze and control hypersonic flows using electromagnetic effects but no true effort has been pursued to automate the flow control process. The lack of a design framework that provides automated multi-disciplinary optimization (MDO) capabilities for this class of problems is the principal motivation for this work. This project develops the foundation of one of the principal components of such MDO environment. Control theory, which has already proved successful dealing with both aerodynamic shape and aero-structural optimization problems, is extended to magnetohydrodynamics (MND). The discrete adjoint approach emerges as the best suitable option to deal with the complex equations that govern MHD, and with the nature of the cost functions that may be used for relevant design problems. The equations governing the three-dimensional flow of a compressible conducting fluid in a magnetic field using the low magnetic Reynolds number approximation are solved with a gas-kinetic BGK scheme. Compared with the more conventional continuum CFD approach, a gas-kinetic CFD approach can be easily extended beyond the continuum regime.Photocopy."June 15, 2005.""Final Report STTR Phase I: September 1, 2004 -- May 31, 2005."Includes bibliographic refereces (pages 29-30).There has been computational work to analyze and control hypersonic flows using electromagnetic effects but no true effort has been pursued to automate the flow control process. The lack of a design framework that provides automated multi-disciplinary optimization (MDO) capabilities for this class of problems is the principal motivation for this work. This project develops the foundation of one of the principal components of such MDO environment. Control theory, which has already proved successful dealing with both aerodynamic shape and aero-structural optimization problems, is extended to magnetohydrodynamics (MND). The discrete adjoint approach emerges as the best suitable option to deal with the complex equations that govern MHD, and with the nature of the cost functions that may be used for relevant design problems. The equations governing the three-dimensional flow of a compressible conducting fluid in a magnetic field using the low magnetic Reynolds number approximation are solved with a gas-kinetic BGK scheme. Compared with the more conventional continuum CFD approach, a gas-kinetic CFD approach can be easily extended beyond the continuum regime.Report prepared by ZONA Technology, Inc., Scottsdale, Arizona, under contract no.Mode of access: Internet