Concordia University

Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Aerospace Engineering

Aerodynamics MECH 6121 - Winter 2019

Handout #1 - MATLAB Programming for

source panel method

Instructor: Mojtaba Kheiri

DATE : February 18, 2019

E XERCISE 1: FLOW OVER A CIRCULAR CYLINDER

The objective of this exercise is to use discrete source elements to predict pressure
coefficient over a circular cylinder. To do so, divide uniformly the chord line into ele-
ments, where a discrete (or point) source is placed at the centre of each element.
Discretize also the cylinder profile (one half is sufficient due to symmetry) into the
same number of panels and then place the collocation (or control) points at the centre
of each panel.
The strength of point sources are obtained by satisfying the wall tangency (or zero
normal velocity) boundary condition at all collocation points:

(n)
AΛ = V∞ , (1)

(n)
where the elements of the influence matrix A and the known vector V∞ are as follows
(x) (y)
(xi − xj )ni + (yi − yj )ni (n) (x) (x)
aij = , V∞,i = −V∞ ni , (i, j = 1, · · · , N), (2)
2π [(xi − xj )2 + (yi − yj )2 ]

where (xi , yi ) are the coordinates of the ith collocation point; (xj , yj ) are the coordinates
of the jth point source of the strength Λj ; ni is the unit normal vector to the ith collocation
point, and V∞ is the freestream velocity; also, the superscripts (x), (y), and (n) denote
the x-, y- and normal components of a vector, respectively.
The pressure coefficient at the ith collocation point, Cpi may be obtained as

(t)
V
Cpi = 1 − ( i )2 , (3)
V∞

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 (t)
where Vi is the tangential flow velocity at the ith collocation point, and the superscript
(t) represents the tangential component of a vector.
The tangential flow velocity is obtained from the following equation:

V (t) = V∞
(t)
+ B Λ, (4)

in which
(x) (y )
(xi − xj )τi + (yi − yj )τi (t) (x) (x)
bij = , V∞,i = V∞ τi , (i, j = 1, · · · , N), (5)
2π [(xi − xj )2 + (yi − yj )2 ]

See the program. Consider a circular cylinder of radius R = 0.5 subjected to a

freestream velocity V∞ =1 m/s. Compare the solution by the panel method with that
from the analytical solution.

E XERCISE 2: FLOW OVER A SYMMETRIC AIRFOIL

Using the panel method outlined in Exercise 1, obtain the pressure distribution over a
15%-thick van de Vooren airfoil. See the program. The profile of this airfoil is obtained
using the following equation:

[a(cos θ − 1) + ia sin θ]k

Y = + `, (6)
[a(cos θ − ) + ia sin θ]k −1

where √
c = 2`, a = 2`(1 + )k −1 2−k , θ = [0 2π ], i = −1. (7)
The normalized x- and y-components of the points on the airfoil profile are obtained as

x = <(Y )/2`, y = =(Y )/2`. (8)

Take ` = 1,  = 0.075, and k = 23/12. Find Cp for with and without shifting the first and
last collocation points to the leading and trailing points, respectively.