Shape Optimization for a Parametrically-Defined Hypersonic Glide Vehicle

Shape optimization was conducted for a generic, parametrically-defined hypersonic glide vehicle under initial burnout conditions of Mach 19.1 at an altitude of 60 km. An optimization frameworkwas developed to automatically generate high-quality hexahedral grids for hypersonic flow over complex geometries. The framework utilized computational fluid dynamics to simulate full trajectories, holding a constant angle of attack of 20.06◦ to determine optimal shapes. The numerical studies assumed a perfect gas and fully laminar flow to reduce the run times of full trajectories. The primary objective was to maximize downrange distance, with one scenario including a heating constraint on a 2 cm thick thermal protective layer of POCO graphite. The studies revealed that among the seven parameters, namely: r_b, θ₂, and θ_s, showed the least sensitivity in affecting the vehicle’s range. Notably, the nose radius, r_n, was identified as the most sensitive parameter, impacting both downrange distance and heating on the vehicle.