Abstract
Our previous design optimization of a steam turbine stator blade had lack in the capability of searching optimal solutions, due to low accuracy of response surfaces for the objective functions. This paper starts from a further discussion on the previous optimization results. It finds out that the airfoil representation method used in the previous optimization cannot assure the uniqueness to critical parameters, which are sensitive to the objective functions. Then, this study discusses and modifies a choice of airfoil representation methods. The present optimization using the modified method for airfoil representation realizes successful improvement in the response surface accuracy, and can obtain better solutions than the previous optimization.
