Multidisciplinary Optimization of Propeller Blades: focus on the aeroacoustic results

Abstract

Concurrent aerodynamic, aeroacoustic and aeroelastic optimization of transonic propeller blades is performed with a Multi-Objective Differential Evolution technique. The optimization process relies on a metamodel to deliver performance estimates as well as on recurrent Computational Fluid Dynamics, Computational Hybrid Aeroacoustics and Computational Structural Mechanics simulations in order to safeguard the accuracy. The innovative design parameters for the radial distributions of sweep, twist, chord and thickness as well as for the shape of the two airfoil sections used to manufacture the blade, consist in the control points of a b-spline parameterization of these curves. The optimization results are discussed in terms of aerodynamic and aeroacoustic performances with a limited discussion of the aeroelastic behavior.