UnifiedDuctedfanCode

The Unified Ducted fan Code (UDC) developed in Python and the integrated optimization framework are developed to enable medium-fidelity ducted fan optimisation and analysis for aerospace applications. The UDC builds on the existing MTFLOW software, which is required to use the UDC, and shipped separately. Academic licenses for MTFLOW are freely available through MIT's technology licensing office through the link referenced below.

This updated version of the UDC builds on the original developed in the MSc thesis of T.S. Vermeulen "A Framework for Medium-Fidelity Ducted Fan Design Optimisation", at Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, see the below link to the TU Delft repository. This updated version was developed for the ASME Turbo Expo 2026 paper GT2026-175354 "A Medium-Fidelity Modelling Framework for Ducted E-Fan Design", and the identically named ASME Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power paper GTP-26-1236. The data generated as part of these papers are linked below as well for reproducibility.

To run the UDC or the developed optimisation framework, the following python dependencies must be satisfied in addition to having the MTFLOW software:

Pymoo (Optimisation framework only)AmbianceNumPy (version 2.2.1)SciPyMatplotlibDill (Optimisation framework only)PandasThe three MTFLOW executables, MTSET, MTSOL, and MTFLO, must be stored in the "Submodels" folder of the UDC codebase. Both Unix- and Windows-based systems are supported in this updated version. Additionally, several performance improvements have been made. For details on each of the implemented changes with respect to the original version, the reader is referred to the release notes on the GitHub repository below.

The tools and frameworks developed were written in Python 3.12.8. Although the author sees no issues with usage at other Python versions, no guarantees are given.

Please refer to the README of the repository for further details on installation, usage, and the required dependencies.