Investigation of topology optimization methods for thermally loaded components

Sammanfattning

The recent development of metal additive manufacturing has opened up new opportunities for component design, enabling the production of more complex structures than previously possible. This newfound freedom can be exploited to reduce mass, improve structural performance and adapt the geometry to specific requirements. Topology optimization is an effective tool for utilizing this design freedom, and can be particularly valuable in creating concept designs in the early stages of the development process. This thesis aims to explore the possibilities and challenges of using topology optimization in the design process for hot structures in aircraft turbofan engines. More specifically, it investigates optimization methods for use in the design of the hub component in a turbine rear structure (TRS), where the structure is subjected mainly to thermal loading and must balance structural stiffness with sufficient thermal compliance in order to relieve the structure of significant thermal stress. In this thesis, a finite element analysis (FEA) workflow was developed using a global assembly simulation. Boundary conditions from the global model were transferred to the hub through submodelling, allowing the structural response of the hub component to be analysed without modelling the full assembly. The submodel could then be linked to a design-space model, allowing structural optimization to be performed with the transferred loads and boundary conditions. The thesis presents an early-stage development process for structural optimization of components under mainly thermal load conditions, as well as the remaining challenges in developing a workflow suitable for industrial application.