Inverse airfoil design by using an accelerated genetic algorithm via distribution strategies

In this study, the distribution strategies (DS) in evolutionary computations and their application to the inverse airfoil design problems have been introduced. Distribution strategies are based on the decomposition of the genetic operations for both upper and lower surfaces of the airfoil. We developed new strategies and combined these with a real coded genetic algorithm to obtain a faster and more robust method. We applied this new powerful method to the inverse airfoil design problems for inviscid, incompressible, and transonic flow conditions. The performance of this new method is compared with ones that were offered by classical or more commonly used genetic algorithms seen in the literature. That the number of computational fluid dynamics calculations decreased considerably, as much as 75%, shows the effectiveness of our new method.