Aerodynamic Optimization of a Supersonic Bending Body Projectile by a Vector-Evaluated Genetic Algorithm
Abstract
Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and evolutionary programming were used to start the process of finding the optimal geometries of a bending body variation of the US Air Force Finner-- a 30-mm-diameter, 300-mm-long, fin-stabilized projectile for a range of angles of attack at 3 supersonic Mach numbers. Three analysis tools were evaluated for simulating aerodynamic coefficients associated with the configurations to be optimized: CFD++ by Metacomp Technologies, SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation, and Missile Datcom. The analysis tool chosen for this research was CFD++. The configurations were optimized for control authority and drag considerations at each angle of attack and Mach number using a genetic algorithm. The optimization search space is composed of 3 control parameters: the angular deflection of the nose cone, the angular deflection of the body, and the location of the body angular deflection. A vector-evaluated genetic algorithm was written to guide generations of configurations toward the optimal configuration for a given angle of attack and Mach number using the aerodynamic coefficients obtained from the CFD simulations completed on the previous generation of configurations.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2016
- Accession Number
- AD1023449
Entities
People
- Justin L. Paul