Digital Engineering for Aircraft Aerodynamic Design

Important results from the project

The project successfully automated the aircraft configuration shape design workflow using CEASIOMpy for education. Significant progress was made in software adaptation and testing, though challenges in automated RANS mesh generation were encountered. The integration of HPC resources improved the design process and provided valuable educational experiences. Dissemination efforts promoted the use of open-source tools and international collaboration. The project met its goals and identified areas for further improvement, particularly in mesh generation tools.

Expected long term effects

The project successfully automated the aircraft design workflow using CEASIOMpy, improving educational outcomes. Despite challenges in automated RANS mesh generation, integrating CEASIOMpy and HPC resources enhanced the design process and provided valuable hands-on experience for students. The outcomes met the project’s goals, laying a foundation for future advancements in automated aircraft design workflows and significantly enhancing the educational experience for students by providing practical, industry-relevant skills.

Approach and implementation

CEASIOMpyLight was developed and delivered at KTH in spring ´24 for the course lab "Design for Low Wave Drag." Students computed Mach sweeps, modified configurations, conducted mesh convergence studies, and repeated workflows on HPC resources. Since CEASIOMpy requires UNIX, installation instructions were provided for Windows users. The CFD tool in PDC (Beskow) was accessed via CEASIOMpy, with a "dry-run" option to create workflow scripts locally and run them on HPC.