Exergy-based Sensitivity Analysis of the Generic Hypersonic Vehicle using FUN3D

In this paper, the implementation of an exergy-based objective function and its adjoint
gradient into NASA’s FUN3D solver is discussed and verified. In order to verify that
the exergy-based functional is properly implemented, it is used to predict the drag of the
Generic Hypersonic Vehicle (GHV), which is then compared to more traditional force-based
drag predictions. In addition to the functional implementation, FUN3D’s adjoint capability
was extended to obtain sensitivities. Results were verified using FUN3D’s native complex
step method for di↵erentiation using a generic wing configuration. The complex and adjoint gradients yielded discrete agreement demonstrating correct implementation and that
the functional can be used for gradient-based multidisciplinary analysis and optimization.
Next, various trade studies are conducted on the GHV to understand the design space
of the vehicle. Finally, an inverse design problem is solved to verify the utilized design
optimization framework which is ready to be deployed for exergy-based optimizations in
future work.