AeroDiT: Diffusion transformers for Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes simulations of airfoil flows

Real-time and accurate prediction of aerodynamic flow fields around airfoils is crucial for flow control and aerodynamic optimization. However, achieving this remains challenging due to the high computational costs and the non-linear nature of flow physics. Traditional computational fluid dynamics methods face limitations in balancing computational efficiency and accuracy, hindering their application in real-time scenarios. To address these challenges, this study presents AeroDiT, a novel surrogate model that integrates scalable diffusion models with transformer architectures to address these challenges. Trained on Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) simulation data for high Reynolds-number airfoil flows, AeroDiT accurately captures complex flow patterns while enabling real-time predictions. The model demonstrates impressive performance, with mean relative L2 errors of 0.1, 0.025, and 0.050 for pressure p and velocity components ux,uy, confirming its reliability. To further enhance physical consistency, we incorporate explicit physics-informed losses based on RANS residuals, including mass and momentum conservation constraints. The transformer-based structure allows for real-time predictions within seconds, enabling efficient aerodynamic simulations. This work underscores the potential of generative machine learning techniques to advance computational fluid dynamics, offering potential solutions to challenges in simulating high-fidelity aerodynamic flows.