Commercialisation of Shape Morphing and Optimisation Technology for Fluid-Dynamic Applications

Improved efficiency is sought constantly in all fluid-related applications, and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is now used almost as standard as the analysis tool in aero- and fluid-dynamic product design cycles. However, the design improvement, and even initial design, cycles are normally performed manually, i.e. an experienced designer analyses the shape using CFD, uses the results to make some minor shape changes, using their intuition, and then analyses the new design again using CFD. This process may be repeated many times. This results in both a bottleneck due to the CFD analysis process, particularly in terms of the grid (re)generation process, and a limit to the design improvements possible. A generic, unique and efficient shape control and morphing technology has been developed at the University of Bristol, which can be coupled with advanced numerical optimisation techniques, and has already produced several notable design improvements to aerofoils, wings and rotors. The technology can 'wrap around' and empower existing commercial CFD products, enabling fully automatic and large design-cycle time and cost reductions, together with vastly superior designs. Furthermore, the technology is also flexible enough to 'wrap around' structural finite-element packages enabling structural and even aeroelastic optimisation. The methods that have been, and are continuing to be, developed offer a step-change in technology including totally unique flexibility and capability when compared to any other competing methods. There is huge market potential for this technology over the entire range of fluid-related sectors (from aircraft aerodynamics, to marine hydrodynamics, to medical device analysis), both as a stand-alone product or, through integration with existing commercial packages, as significantly improved, and hence more attractive, versions of these products.The University of Bristol is strongly supportive of this proposal, and have already undertaken thorough searches for any similar technology, and have been satisfied enough to file a patent application for this technology. This shape control and optimisation product has also been discussed with leading international researchers, industrialists, and commercial package developers, and much interest has already been expressed in the demonstration of a prototype product. However, it should be stressed here that this product is applicable to any fluid-related product, and so the potential market is huge. For example, there has been much recent research in medical fluids (heart and artery flows), wind and water turbines, and hydraulic actuation systems, where optimisation is an unexploited area. Hence, there are significant existing markets where interest is high, and also opportunities to exploit new and emerging markets. The PI has also approached an expert in the commercial simulation area, to gauge commercial potential. James Tibbatts is former Principal Engineer (2003-2007) at FLUENT (the clear market leader with regard to CFD flow solver packages), and has since set up his own commercial CFD consultancy, concentrating on bio-medical industries. He has stated that the product here has significant commercial potential, in both the short to medium and long term, has expressed an interest in acting as both user of and vendor for the product, and has many noteworthy contacts which he has agreed to let the proposers exploit.