Comparative Analysis of Fluid Topology Optimization Algorithms Based on Adjoint Methods

Eduardo Tadashi Katsuno¹; Carlos Massaiti Okubo Júnior¹; Emílio Carlos Nelli Silva¹

¹ Escola Politécnica da USP

doi:10.20906/CPS/CILAMCE2017-0522

Resumo

An incompressible, laminar, steady state, Navier-Stokes flow problem is studied by using the Topology Optimization Method. Objective is to minimize the loss of fluid power in a unit square with one inlet and one outlet. Two approaches are used, both open source, in order to compare the methods: the first one, using the FEniCS, which uses the Finite Element Method and other, OpenFOAM, which uses the Finite Volume Method. Both methods take advantage of the adjoint methods to perform the Topology Optimization. For the FEniCS simulations, 4 different volumetric restrictions are used. It was observed that the simulation of FEniCS without volumetric restriction had results close to OpenFOAM, also without volumetric restriction. The Topology Optimization Method applied to fluids shows good potential. Although each FEM and FVM solvers have advantages and disadvantages, both have shown good tools for Topology Optimization.

Palavras-chave: Fluid Topology Optimization; CFD; Adjoint Method; Finite Volume Method; Finite Element Method