Optimization of flade variable cycle engine performance based on improved differential evolution algorithm

In this paper, a double bypass variable cycle engine with FLADE (Fan on Blade) is considered. The FLADE VCE is one of the research hotspots for future military and civil aircraft power device, which shows outstanding performance advantages. Compared to the mixed-flow turbofan, FLADE VCE is more complex than conventional aero-engine for its multi-components and multi-variable parts, which make it difficult to modeling and optimization. For getting the performance of FLADE VCE, the model for engine performance simulation is researched. The method for FLADE performance simulation and the steady-state performance simulation model for FLADE VCE are developed. And a component-based engine performance simulation system is established based on object-oriented modeling method. For obtaining the optimal integrated performance of FLADE VCE, suitable optimization method is required. Unfortunately, the optimization of FLADE VCE is a non-linear non-differentiable problem, which makes it difficult to solve by conventional deterministic optimization method. In order to solve this problem, the differential evolution (DE) algorithm is considered. To overcome the limitations of original DE algorithm, an improved DE algorithm with modifying mutation operator is proposed by this paper. The FLADE VCE optimization problem is solved by employing the improved DE algorithm.