Panel Methods

Source and Vortex

Point Source
Point Vortex

W ( z) =

q
2 ( z z1 )

W ( z) =

i
2 ( z z1 )

dz in Polar Form
ix

dz =
ds

z+dz

so

Useful! E.g. velocity components parallel

and normal to line are given by

or

dz
vs ivn = W ( z )e = W ( z )
ds
i

Panels
Singularity distributed along a line
Example: The Source Panel (or Sheet)
z1

Consider a point source +

Imagine spreading the source along a line. We
would then end up with a certain strength per
unit length q(s) that could vary with distance s
along the line. Each elemental length of the line
ds would behave like a miniature source and so
would produce a velocity field:

z
s

ds
z1

Where z1 ( s) gives the coordinate of the line at s.

The total flowfield produced by the line is then:

Vortex?

Constant Strength Source Panel

W ( z) =

1
2

panel

q( s )ds
z z1 ( s )

vn

If strength q is constant with s then

vs

z1

Note that vn from positive to

negative across the panel

So

e i
In terms of components
aligned with the panel:

ds

vs ivn = W ( z )

ei
z za
dz1
q

loge
=
ds 2
z
z

The panel is not a solid boundary. To make it behave like a solid boundary in a
flow you would have to set the strength q so that the total vn (due to the panel
and the flow) is zero
Vortex?

A Simple Source Panel Method

For flow past an arbitrary body

Break up the body surface

into N straight panels.
Write an expression for the
normal component of
velocity at the middle of the
panel from the sum of all
the velocities produced by
the panels and the free
stream. Gives N
expressions.
Given that each expression
must be equal to zero, solve
the N equations for the N
strengths

control
point

panel

Defining the N Panels

Number the panels anticlockwise, 1 to N

Define N coordinates za that identify the
start of every panel (going counter
clockwise), and zb that identify the end of
every panel.

za(3)
mth
control
point

zc =

1
2

(za + zb ) i ( zb za )

Center point

Displacement

N-1

Each panel has a slope

So, if W(z) is the velocity of the whole flow,

We pick a control point very close to the

center of the panel at

za(2)

1
N

nth
panel

is the component normal

to the panel

zb(2)

za(N-1)

zb

zb(N-1)

zc

<<1 (say 0.001)

za

Completing the Method

z za ( n ) ds
(n) 1

W ( z ) = W + q
loge
(n)
2
n =1
z zb dz1
N

Velocity produced by
whole flow is

(n)

(n)
(m)
(m)
(n)
Velocity at the control point of
(m)
N

1
z
z
ds
dz
dz

1
loge c( m ) a ( n )
= W 1 + q( n )
the mth panel zc(m) in panel
2
ds
n =1
zc zb dz1 ds
aligned components is

So, velocity normal to

the mth panel is
Velocity parallel to
the mth panel is

dz1 ( m ) N ( n )
= Im
W + q Im{C ( m ,n ) }
ds
n =1
dz1 ( m ) N ( n )
= Re
W + q Re{C ( m ,n ) }
ds
n =1

C ( m ,n )

We want the normal velocity to be zero, so this is what we use to get the qs
We write
Or

dz1 ( m ) N ( n )
Im
W = q Im{C ( m ,n ) }
ds
n =1
1xN result matrix
(known)

1xN matrix
of strengths
(unknown)

NxN matrix of
ceoffs (known)

Once we have solved

this for the qs we can
use eqn. 2 to get the
velocities along the body
surface, or eqn. 1 to get
them anywhere else

Summary

Define coordinates of start and end of panels za and zb

zb z a
dz
i
=
=
e
Compute the panel slopes ds
zb z a

Put the control points next to the panel centers zc =

1
2

za( n ) , zb( n )

(za + zb ) i ( zb za )

Determine the component of W normal to each panel

dz1 ( m)
W
Im
ds

zc( m ) za ( n ) ds
1

=
loge ( m )
(n)
2
zc zb dz1

Determine the influence coefficients C ( m,n )

Solve the matrix problem, i.e. matrix divide Im{C ( m ,n ) } by

Compute the flow velocities and pressures

(n)

dz1
ds

(m)

dz1 ( m)
W
Im
ds

Matlab Code
z a( n ) , zb( n ) , dz1 ds

(n)

zc(n )

C ( m ,n )

Matrix div.

dz1 ( m) Result
W matrix
Im
ds

dz1 ( m ) N ( n )
Re
W + q Re{C ( m ,n ) }
ds
n =1

Velocities
along body
surface

ConstantSourcePanel.m

Matlab Code Ideas:

1. Non-Uniform Free Stream

E.g. Suppose
free stream
includes, say a
doublet outside
the body at a
location x=5, so

W = 1 +

10
( z 5) 2

Matlab Code Ideas:

2. More than one body

E.g. Suppose
we have two
circles

Change z vector to
contain points on
both circles.
Change a and b
vectors to make
sure they really
point to the start
and end of each
panel

Update plotting

Matlab Code Ideas:

3. Use more sophisticated panels

E.g. Panels with
linearly varying
strength

Only the influence

coefficient equation
changes

3. Linear Source Panel Method

E.g. Panels with
linearly varying
strength

Only the influence

coefficient equation
changes

qs are now source panel

strengths at points z(b)

LinearSourcePanel.m

3. Linear Source Panels

Constant
strength panels

Linear strength
panels

qc

qb
qa

qa

Influence of qa
depends only
panel ab

Influence of qb
depends on panel
ab and panel bc

3. Linear Source Panel Method

E.g. Panels with
linearly varying
strength

Only the influence

coefficient equation
changes

qs are now source panel

strengths at points z(b)

LinearSourcePanel.m

Matlab Code Ideas:

4.Change to vortex panel method

W ( z) =

W ( z) =

q
2 ( z z1 )

Specify a
circulation

i
2 ( z z1 )

insert -i*

Change last
column of cm so
that it sums total
panel strength.
Set last value of
res equal to the
circulation

Matlab Code Ideas:

4. Vortex panel method

Specify a
circulation

insert -i*

Change last
column of cm so
that it sums total
panel strength.
Set last value of
res equal to the
circulation

qs are now vortex panel

strength (circulation/unit length)

LinearVortexPanel.m
(see also
ConstantVortexPanel.m)

Matlab Code Ideas:

5. Set a Kutta Condition

Kutta condition
requires that
surface vorticity
at trailing edge is
zero.

Change last
column of cm so
that to be 1 at
the index
corresponding to
the trailing edge.
Set last value of
res equal to
zero

Circulation
given
implicitly
by Kutta
condition

Matlab Code Ideas:

5. Kutta Condition Code

Kutta condition
requires that
surface vorticity
at trailing edge is
zero.

k is index of
Kutta condition
point (e.g
trailing edge)

Change last
column of cm so
that to be 1 at
the index
corresponding to
the trailing edge.
Set last value of
res equal to
zero

Kutta condition is applied to

the end point of the kth
panel, i.e. at z(b(k))

LinearVortexPanelKutta.m

Things to watch out for

Always use an odd number of panels
when you have a symmetric body
The control-point equation
zc =

1
2

( z a + z b ) i ( z b z a )

Center point

Displacement

assumes that as you move from a to b you

are progressing counter-clockwise around
the body surface. (For clockwise you need
to reverse the sign before i).