CFD-Based Adaptive Flow Control for Steady Flow Field Modification

In this paper we demonstrate adaptive flow control for an incompressible viscous fluid through a two-dimensional channel without the use of an analytical model. An adaptive algorithm is implemented within a CFD simulation to control the performance variables, which are velocity components of the flow at downstream locations, to desired steady-state values. The algorithm requires minimal knowledge of the system, specifically, the numerator coefficients of the transfer functions from the control inputs to the performance variables. System identification, based on CFD simulations prior to the closed-loop simulations, is used to identify the required parameters. Steady flow field modification is achieved using the ARMARKOV disturbance rejection algorithm implemented within Fluent, a commercial CFD software package available from Fluent, Inc