Interaction of two-dimensional impulsively started airfoils

Abstract

Continuous vorticity panels were used to model general unsteady inviscid, incompressible, two-dimensional flows. The geometry of the airfoil was approximated by series of short straight segments having endpoints that lie on the actual surface. A piecewise linear, continuous distribution of vorticity over the airfoil surface was used to generate disturbance flow. The no-penetration condition was imposed at the midpoint of each segment and at discrete times. The wake was simulated by a system of point vortices, which moved at local fluid velocity. At each time step, a new wake panel with uniform vorticity distribution was attached to the trailing edge, and the condition of constant circulation around the airfoil and wake was imposed. A new expression for Kutta condition was developed to study the interference effect between two impulsively started NACA0012 airfoils. The tandem arrangement was found to be the most effective to enhance the lift of the rear airfoil. The interference effect between tidal turbine blades was shown clearly.