Complex variable boundary element method for external potential flows

Abstract

We describe a simple,efficient complex variable boundary element method algorithm for calculating potential flow past single and multicomponent airfoils in free air, in ground effect, in an infinite cascade, and in solid, open, and perforated wall wind tunnels. The theoretical development is based on the representation of the complex disturbance velocity by the Cauchy-type integral, formulating the airfoil problem as an exterior (Riemann-)Hilbert problem and accounting for the outer constraints using the concept of Green's function in the complex plane