Supersonic transport grid generation, validation, and optimization

Abstract

The ever present demand for reduced flight times has renewed interest in High Speed Civil Transports (HSCT). The need for an HSCT becomes especially apparent when the long distance, over-sea, high growth Pacific rim routes are considered. Crucial to any successful HSCT design are minimal environmental impact and economic viability. Vital is the transport's aerodynamic efficiency, ultimately effecting both the environmental impact and the operating cost. Optimization, including numerical optimization, coupled with the use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technology, has and will offer a significant improvement beyond traditional methods.