Automated Design Optimization for Hypersonic Plasma-Aerodynamics

Recent years have witnessed a resurgence of interest in MHD and plasma augmentation of hypersonic flows, for applications in active flow control, power generation and flow acceleration. HyPerComp Inc. has been at the forefront of comprehensive physical modeling efforts pertaining to MHD flow simulations. Here, we propose a teaming arrangement with the University of Texas at Arlington, and the NASA-Ames Research Center to study design optimization techniques in the context of hypersonic MHD. In Phase-I, a master set of adjoint equations will be formulated for the class of MHD problems with low magnetic Reynolds number. Sample internal flow (on-board MHD power generator) and external flow (inlet flow control) problems will be used to demonstrate the effectiveness of these techniques in 2-D. In Phase-II, techniques developed in phase-I will be interfaced with the parallel unstructured mesh MHD codes developed under prior AFOSR contracts, with automatic mesh movement and graphical user interfaces to assist with code execution. Provisions for arbitrary magnetic Reynolds number will make the technique more generally applicable. There are lucrative alternative markets to which this development can be applied.