Application of the Adjoint Sensitivity Method to the Analysis of a Supersonic Ejector

Although the concepts of various types of ejectors have been thoroughly discussed in the literature during the past sixty years, a rigorous sensitivity analysis of the ejector’s performance has never been presented. In the present work a sensitivity analysis method, based on the use of adjoint functions, is introduced and applied to the one-dimensional model of a supersonic ejector. The advantage of the proposed method over all other possible techniques is that a single computer run can provide the response function sensitivities with respect to all input parameters. The usefulness of the sensitivity coefficients in predicting the ejector’s performance and the uncertainty involved, as well as in the determination of manufacturing tolerances, is demonstrated and proven to be a powerful tool in the design.