Airfoil Optimization of Land-Yacht Robot Based on Hybrid PSO and GA

Abstract

Airfoil optimization algorithm is studied and a hybrid PSO and GA method is proposed in this paper. After function test, it shows that algorithm is well in convergence performance, fast speed, and optimization capability. Then, the airfoil parametric expression theory is analyzed. A new airfoil is obtained after combining CFD and PSO-GA optimization. The aerodynamic of new airfoil is compared with the airfoil optimized by GA-PSO and basic airfoil NACA0018. The results indicate that new airfoil is better than the other two airfoils in lift coefficient, lift-drag ratio, and surface pressure. At last, wing-sail of new airfoil and NACA0018 wing-sail are designed and manufactured. Both of them are applied in land-yacht robot linear motion and steering motion experiment. For the linear motion, in the situation of wind speed being 15[Formula: see text]m/s and angle of attack being 5, running speed of robot with optimized new wing-sail is 1.853[Formula: see text]m/s. In steering motion, trajectory with new wing-sail is closer to the real situation and it gets more thrust. The experiments data verify that the simulation results are correct and PSO-GA algorithm is effective.