Panel Methods

Source and Vortex

Point Source Point Vortex

W ( z) =

q 2 ( z z1 ) i 2 ( z z1 )

W ( z) =

dz in Polar Form
ix

dz =
ds z z+dz so

or

Useful! E.g. velocity components parallel and normal to line are given by

dz vs ivn = W ( z )e = W ( z ) ds
i

Panels
Singularity distributed along a line Example: The Source Panel (or Sheet) Consider a point source + Imagine spreading the source along a line. We would then end up with a certain strength per unit length q(s) that could vary with distance s along the line. Each elemental length of the line ds would behave like a miniature source and so would produce a velocity field: z1

z s ds z1

Where z1 ( s) gives the coordinate of the line at s. The total flowfield produced by the line is then:

Vortex?

Constant Strength Source Panel

W ( z) = 1 2

panel

q( s )ds z z1 ( s )

ds
vn a vs z1

b z

If strength q is constant with s then

So

Note that vn from positive to negative across the panel

e i
In terms of components aligned with the panel:

ei
z za dz1 q loge = zz ds 2 b

vs ivn = W ( z )

The panel is not a solid boundary. To make it behave like a solid boundary in a flow you would have to set the strength q so that the total vn (due to the panel and the flow) is zero Vortex?

A Simple Source Panel Method

For flow past an arbitrary body

Break up the body surface into N straight panels. Write an expression for the normal component of velocity at the middle of the panel from the sum of all the velocities produced by the panels and the free stream. Gives N expressions. Given that each expression must be equal to zero, solve the N equations for the N strengths

control point

panel

Defining the N Panels

Number the panels anticlockwise, 1 to N Define N coordinates za that identify the start of every panel (going counter clockwise), and zb that identify the end of every panel. Each panel has a slope So, if W(z) is the velocity of the whole flow, is the component normal to the panel We pick a control point very close to the center of the panel at
za(3) mth
control point
3

zb(2)

za(2)

2 1 N N-1

nth
panel

za(N-1)

zb(N-1)

zc =

1 2

(za + zb ) i ( zb za )

zb

zc za

Center point

Displacement

<<1 (say 0.001)

Completing the Method

Velocity produced by whole flow is

z za ( n ) ds (n) 1 W ( z ) = W + q loge z z ( n ) dz 2 n =1 b 1
N

(n)

(n) (m) Velocity at the control point of ( N zc m ) za ( n ) ds dz1 ( m ) 1 dz1 loge ( m ) = W + q( n ) the mth panel zc(m) in panel z z ( n ) dz 2 ds n =1 b 1 ds c aligned components is

So, velocity normal to the mth panel is Velocity parallel to the mth panel is

dz1 ( m ) N ( n ) = Im W + q Im{C ( m ,n ) } ds n =1 dz1 ( m ) N ( n ) = Re W + q Re{C ( m ,n ) } ds n =1

C ( m ,n )

We want the normal velocity to be zero, so this is what we use to get the qs We write Or

dz1 ( m ) N ( n ) Im W = q Im{C ( m ,n ) } ds n =1
1xN result matrix (known)

1xN matrix of strengths (unknown)

NxN matrix of ceoffs (known)

Once we have solved this for the qs we can use eqn. 2 to get the velocities along the body surface, or eqn. 1 to get them anywhere else

Summary
Define coordinates of start and end of panels za and zb
z z dz = ei = b a Compute the panel slopes ds zb z a
( ( zan ) , zbn )

Put the control points next to the panel centers zc =

1 2

(za + zb ) i ( zb za )
dz1 ( m) W Im ds
(n)

Determine the component of W normal to each panel Determine the influence coefficients C ( m,n )

( zc m ) za ( n ) ds 1 = loge ( m ) z z ( n ) dz 2 b c 1

dz1 ds

(m)

Solve the matrix problem, i.e. matrix divide Im{C ( m ,n ) } by Compute the flow velocities and pressures

dz1 ( m) W Im ds

Matlab Code
( ( z an ) , zbn ) , dz1 ds (n)

(n zc )

C ( m ,n )
dz1 ( m) Result W matrix Im ds
dz1 ( m ) N ( n ) Re W + q Re{C ( m ,n ) } ds n =1
Velocities along body surface

Matrix div.

ConstantSourcePanel.m

Matlab Code Ideas:

1. Non-Uniform Free Stream

E.g. Suppose free stream includes, say a doublet outside the body at a location x=5, so

W = 1 +

10 ( z 5) 2

Matlab Code Ideas:

2. More than one body

E.g. Suppose we have two circles Change z vector to contain points on both circles. Change a and b vectors to make sure they really point to the start and end of each panel

Update plotting

Matlab Code Ideas:

3. Use more sophisticated panels

E.g. Panels with linearly varying strength

Only the influence coefficient equation changes

3. Linear Source Panel Method

E.g. Panels with linearly varying strength

Only the influence coefficient equation changes

qs are now source panel strengths at points z(b)

LinearSourcePanel.m

3. Linear Source Panels

Constant strength panels Linear strength panels qb qa
b

qc

qa
a

Influence of qa depends only panel ab

Influence of qb depends on panel ab and panel bc

3. Linear Source Panel Method

E.g. Panels with linearly varying strength

Only the influence coefficient equation changes

qs are now source panel strengths at points z(b)

LinearSourcePanel.m

Matlab Code Ideas:

4.Change to vortex panel method

W ( z) = q 2 ( z z1 )
i 2 ( z z1 )
Specify a circulation

W ( z) =

insert -i*

Change last column of cm so that it sums total panel strength. Set last value of res equal to the circulation

Matlab Code Ideas:

4. Vortex panel method

Specify a circulation

insert -i*

Change last column of cm so that it sums total panel strength. Set last value of res equal to the circulation

qs are now vortex panel strength (circulation/unit length)

LinearVortexPanel.m (see also ConstantVortexPanel.m)

Matlab Code Ideas:

5. Set a Kutta Condition

Kutta condition requires that surface vorticity at trailing edge is zero.

Circulation given implicitly by Kutta condition

Change last column of cm so that to be 1 at the index corresponding to the trailing edge. Set last value of res equal to zero

Matlab Code Ideas:

5. Kutta Condition Code

Kutta condition requires that surface vorticity at trailing edge is zero.

k is index of Kutta condition point (e.g trailing edge)

Change last column of cm so that to be 1 at the index corresponding to the trailing edge. Set last value of res equal to zero

Kutta condition is applied to the end point of the kth panel, i.e. at z(b(k))

LinearVortexPanelKutta.m

Things to watch out for

Always use an odd number of panels when you have a symmetric body The control-point equation
zc =
1 2

( z a + z b ) i ( z b z a )

Center point

Displacement

assumes that as you move from a to b you are progressing counter-clockwise around the body surface. (For clockwise you need to reverse the sign before i).