Exploring optimization of supersonic wing thickness distribution using FCE (far-field composite element) method

Developed from the class shape transformation (CST) geometric parameterization method, the FCE wave drag optimization method is a new aerodynamic shape optimization method for supersonic aircraft. We use the CST parameterization method to perform the shape parameterization of a typical and large swept wing model of a supersonic aircraft. Sections 1 and 2 of the full paper explain our exploration, whose core consists of; (1) under the constraints of the total volume and local thicknesses of the swept wing, we carry out the quick optimization of the wing thickness distribution, aiming to achieve minimum wave drag; (2) we use the supersonic area rule to calculate the wave drag and to optimize the shape parameters of the swept wing with the Lagrange multiplier method, thus requiring no iteration and reducing computation complexity. The optimization results, given in Table 1 and Figs. 4, 5 and 6, and their analysis show preliminarily that, compared with the baseline wing model, our optimization method can reduce the wave drag coefficient by 61%, thus being a useful method for aerodynamic shape optimization so as to reduce the wave drag at the stage of the conceptual design of a supersonic aircraft.