Efficient Shape Optimization of Intake and Exhaust of a Tiltrotor Nacelle

The proposal described the methodology to be used for an efficient optimisation of both the intake and exhaust geometry of a tiltrotor nacelle. Specific objectives of such activity were the following:

• to set up of a comprehensive and fully automatic optimal design tool, integrating the software in use at the GRC consortium and in-house optimiser already developed by the applicant;
• to implement efficient and robust optimisation strategies which help the obtainment of optimal geometry using reasonable computing time;
• to implement, test and run such tool within the industrial design procedure currently available at the GRC consortium;
• to apply such tool for the efficiency improvement of both the nacelle intake and the exhaust ducts in order to achieve a significant reduction in the nacelle installation losses.