Exploration of the Iceformation Method Applied to a Diffuser

Abstract

The design of optimum flow surfaces has been a challenging task for fluid dynamicists ever since the concept of fluid drag was realized. This paper will serve to introduce another method of flow surface design which has the potential to overcome the difficulties of present analytic and experimental methods. Natural design is introduced as an alternative to scientific design. The iceformation method is defined as harnessing the natural process of ice formation to perform geometric variations. The flow field has the direct opportunity to influence and optimize the geometry development. The hypothesis of design optimization is tested by an exploratory example of the method. The example is a fundamental but nevertheless difficult design problem of a diffuser. Use of the iceformation method resulted in the design of diffusers with higher pressure recovery performance than conical diffusers of the same length and area ratio.