Revolutionizing Turbomachinery: AI-Enhanced Design Tools for Blisks

Unveiling a phenomenal AI innovation that guarantees unprecedented efficiency in turbomachinery design, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has announced a groundbreaking collaboration. This DARPA-funded initiative aims to revolutionize the design and testing of bladed disks, or “blisks,” commonly used in rocket and jet engines. By integrating advanced AI-enhanced design tools, the project seeks to optimize multi-material structures and enhance the performance of next-generation aerospace technologies.

Breakthrough in AI-Enhanced Design Tools

The project, part of the Multiobjective Engineering and Testing of Alloy Structures (METALS) program, leverages sophisticated generative AI and deep generative modeling. These AI technologies are pivotal in refining the shape and compositional gradients of multi-material structures, crucial for the advancement of turbomachinery. This initiative is a response to the constraints posed by the traditional “one part-one material” design approach, which often results in inefficient trade-offs. Instead, AI-driven design optimizes each part of the blisk for specific thermomechanical properties such as creep resistance, fatigue life, and strength.

Innovative Approach to Additive Manufacturing

Utilizing additive manufacturing, the research team is expanding the boundaries of voxel-based composition and property control. This cutting-edge approach not only enhances the structural performance of components but also allows for precise customization in different sections of a blisk. The method is widely recognized for its potential to surpass conventional production techniques, providing unparalleled structural integrity and efficiency.

Collaborative Effort and Expertise

The collaboration unites experts from MIT, Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), and Lehigh University, pooling significant academic resources and expertise. Leading this monumental project, Zachary Cordero, Associate Professor in MIT’s Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, emphasizes the merger of traditional mechanics with modern AI tools. He states, “This project could have important implications across a wide range of aerospace technologies. Insights from this work may enable more reliable, reusable, rocket engines that will power the next generation of heavy-lift launch vehicles.”

The collaboration further benefits from contributions by Zoltan Spakovszky, Professor in Aeronautics at MIT, A. John Hart of MIT’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, and experts like Faez Ahmed and S. Mohadeseh Taheri-Mousavi, among others. Each brings a unique perspective, combining knowledge from areas like machine-learning-based process design, thermostructural analysis, and turbomachinery.

Overcoming Manufacturing Constraints

The creative endeavor seeks to transcend the existing limitations of manufacturing with single-material constructs. Typically, designers must settle on a material and processing parameters to suit an entire component, imposing compromises that can affect performance in different operational areas. By exercising AI-enhancements, the team targets optimal designs at specific component locales, potentially averting failures where material specialization is needed.

Impact and Future Implications

With advancements credited to high-throughput materials testing and hybrid integrated computational material engineering, this project is poised to deliver significant improvements in turbomachinery performance and sustainability. A. John Hart, an integral member of the project, notes, “It is especially rewarding to work with the graduate students and postdoctoral researchers collaborating on the METALS project, spanning from developing new computational approaches to building test rigs operating under extreme conditions. It is a truly unique opportunity to build breakthrough capabilities that could underlie propulsion systems of the future, leveraging digital design and manufacturing technologies.”

This research not only facilitates aerospace advancements but stands as a testament to the potential of emerging AI and manufacturing technologies. The future of aerospace propulsion, particularly in heavy-lift and reusable rocket engines, looks promising with the integration of these AI-enhanced design tools.

Looking ahead, the collaborative project showcases how AI can be utilized to optimize blisk designs, improve simulation speeds, and explore generative designs that challenge traditional human constraints. This innovation could significantly contribute to more powerful, efficient, and sustainable engines.

For further information on this unprecedented project, the MIT News article provides a comprehensive overview of the advancements being made. Discover how AI is revolutionizing turbomachinery design at MIT News.