Prediction and analysis of 3D hydrofoil and propeller under potential flow using panel method

Chen-Wei Chen,Ning Peng

doi:10.1051/matecconf/20167701013

Chen-Wei Chen, Ning Peng

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/20167701013

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Abstract

Potential flow over an airfoil plays an important historical role in the theory of airfoil. The governing equation for potential flow is Laplace’s equation. One of Green’s identities can be used to write a solution to Laplace’s equation as a boundary integral. Using distributions of singularity solutions and determining their strength via the boundary conditions is the essence of panel method. This paper introduces a quick prediction method of three-dimensional hydrofoil and propeller performance based on panel method. The surface of hydrofoil and propeller is divided into numbers of quadrilateral panels. Combined sources with doublets singularities will be distributed on the corners of panels. Calculated blade pressure distributions of hydrofoil and propeller agree well with experimental data. Several sample calculations have been included using panel method.

Highlights

A singularity panel method based on Green's function integral equation is used to calculate the motion characters
Panel method was mainly applied to solving lifting flows for thick airplane, but panel code can be used in shipbuilding field [3] and even in submarine [4]
The panel method which is proposed by this paper is able to predict the three dimensional hydrofoil and propeller performance without performing a computational simulation

Summary

Introduction

A singularity panel method based on Green's function integral equation is used to calculate the motion characters. The recent trend is the application of low-order methods [7], and many different panel methods are used now. The panel method which is proposed by this paper is able to predict the three dimensional hydrofoil and propeller performance without performing a computational simulation. For performing the computational simulations, a high performance computer and a lot of computational time would be needed [9], [10]. Using this method can reduce the computational cost. Panel method is applied to the prediction of three-dimensional hydrofoil and propeller performance. Surface pressure distributions of hydrofoil and propeller will be calculated to compare with experimental data

Solution of potential flow using panel method

Two-dimensional foil performance in panel method

Geometry and wake models

Results and analysis

Conclusion