Analysis of potential flow around two-dimensional hydrofoil by source based lower and higher order panel methods

Abstract

This paper deals with the computation of potential flow problem around the two-dimensional hydrofoil without considering the effect of free surface by the source based lower and higher order panel methods. Using Green’s second identity the Laplace equation is transformed into an integral equation in terms of a distribution of singular solutions, such as sources on the boundaries. After satisfying the boundary conditions the integral equation can be written into a matrix form and the matrix is solved by Gaussian Elimination procedure. The validity of the computer scheme is examined by comparing the numerical results with the analytical as well as experimental results of van de Vooren and NACA 0012 hydrofoils. In comparison to the higher order method, the use of the lower order method results in fewer numerical manipulations and hence less computational time. Each method has the problem near the trailing edge of the hydrofoil.