Multi-disciplinary design optimization of a combustor

A technique for design optimization of a combustor is presented. This technique entails the use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and mathematical optimization to minimize the combustor exit temperature profile. The empirical and semi-empirical correlations commonly used for optimizing combustor exit temperature profile do not guarantee optimum. As an experimental approach is time consuming and costly, use is made of numerical techniques. However, using CFD without mathematical optimization on a trial and error basis does not guarantee optimal solutions. A better approach, which is often viewed as too expensive, is a combination of the two approaches, thus incorporating the influence of the variables automatically. In this study the combustor exit temperature profile is optimized.