Improving and automating CODA for multidisciplinary simulations
ICARUS
Visualisation of a flow simulation result of a transport aircraft with deflected high lift devices (slats and flaps) computed with CODA. The colour illustrates the skin friction at the aircraft surface to identify regions of flow separation.”
Numerical simulation is a key technology for the design and complete digital description of aircraft on the way to the virtual product, with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) playing a central role. For this reason, DLR is developing the CFD software by ONERA, DLR and Airbus (CODA) as part of a European co-operation.
In the DLR research project ICARUS (Improved CODA Software for Reliable Simulations under Uncertainties), scientists bundle a large part of DLR's development activities enhance CODA to make it available both within DLR and to research and industry partners. The programmatically funded synergy project with a focus on DLR aeronautics research aims in particular to expand the simulation capabilities of CODA in automated, multidisciplinary applications for analysis and optimisation of aircraft and helicopters on current and future HPC systems. In addition to the efficient application of established simulation methods, the further development and implementation of innovative methods is also planned. Examples include higher-order spatial discretisation methods based on finite elements, the use of adjoint methods in the context of multidisciplinary optimisation or goal-oriented mesh adaptation, as well as the use of auto-generated Cartesian computational meshes to increase the degree of automation. In addition, the researchers will develop and evaluate methods for estimating simulation errors to enable the prospective use of CODA in simulation-based certification. They also explore efficient scale-resolving simulations.
Furthermore, the team from the DLR research programmes Space, Transport and Energy is expanding the range of applications of CODA to space transport, wind energy and maritime applications.
The ICARUS project, with a total of eight DLR research institutes involved, is thus pursuing the strategic goal of establishing CODA as a European CFD platform.
The DLR Institute of Aerodynamics and Flow Technology provides almost half of the personnel resources involved in the project and, in addition to project management, is responsible for a large number of activities in the areas of algorithmic development, user-friendly provision of simulation capabilities and the automated validation and verification process.
