Developing a Multiphysics Design Optimization Framework for Metallic Parts Made via AM

Statement A. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.While the use of design optimization tools has seen an increasesince the advancements in additive manufacturing (AM), a framework combining the multi-physics modeling capabilities of multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) with the spatial exploration ability of topology optimization (TO) is needed to bring the benefits of AM to the many complex systems in development today. This work proposes the development of such a framework through three phases of development centered on two unique applications: (1) acoustic liners and (2) heat exchangers. The proposers have an on-going effort related to acoustic liners and plan to expand their work to heat exchangers to demonstrate the benefits of the multidisciplinary framework. These two applications will highlight the capability to perform MDO/TO on objects that must balance disparate physics to produce optimized designs that meet requirements. The following three phaseswill be carried out on both acoustic liners and heat exchangers.Phase 1 includes modeling the interacting physics present in both test cases using field-based surrogate models. Within a heat exchanger, the physics of heat transfer, fluid flow, and structural loading are all present; acoustic liners depend on the physics of fluid flow and pressure acoustics. Field-based models will allow for the application of these interacting physics at every point in the design domain. The use of surrogate models will reduce the time and cost of calculations.Phase 2 applies the system of field equations (developed in Phase 1) onto the design domain for the target application. The optimal geometry of the heat exchanger andacoustic liner will be generated through a surrogate-model-driven optimization process, such as conventional TO, which will determine the geometry layout within the given design domain in response to the applied physics.Phase 3 seeks to validate the framework forboth efficiency ofthe design process and the effectiveness of the generated output. The optimal geometries developed in Phase 2 will be manufactured through AM or other suitable techniques. These geometries (heat exchanger, acoustic liner) will undergo experimental testing to validate predicted performance. The data gathered from the experimental testing will be fed back to the modeling domain to improve the predictive capability of the process.The applications for this framework extend far beyond heat exchangers and acoustic liners. Any combination of interacting physics can be brought into the framework resulting in applicability for any number of DoD applications. For example, as used with fuel cells, interacting physics such as fluid flow, heat transfer, electrochemistry, and structural loading could be optimized simultaneously. Other fields of physics could extend this framework into optics, vibration damping, stealth applications, and more.Statement A. Approved for public release; distribution isunlimited.