AERODYNAMICS INFORMATION SHEET

Continuity eqn. and vorticity in 2D incompressible flow:

Continuity Eq. Vorticity
∂u ∂v ∂v ∂u
+ =0 ωz = −
∂x ∂y ∂x ∂y
1 ∂ 1 ∂ 1 ∂ 1 ∂
(rv r ) + (vθ ) = 0 ωz = (rvθ ) − (v r )
r ∂r r ∂θ r ∂r r ∂θ

Elementary flows:
∂ψ ∂φ ∂ψ ∂φ ∂ψ ∂φ ∂ψ ∂φ
u= = v=− = vr = = vθ = − =
∂y ∂x ∂x ∂y r∂θ ∂r ∂r r∂θ

Type of Flow Velocity φ ψ

Uniform flow, V∞ , u = V∞ and v = 0 V∞ x V∞ y
in the x-direction
Source, Λ , at the Λ Λ ln r Λθ
vr = & vθ = 0
origin 2πr 2π 2π
Vortex, Γ , at the −Γ − Γθ Γ ln r
v r = 0 & vθ =
origin 2πr 2π 2π
Doublet, κ , at the −κ κ −κ
vr = cos θ cos θ sin θ
origin 2πr 2 2πr 2πr
−κ
vθ = sin θ
2πr 2

Useful Integrals:
dx 1  bx  dx 1 x
∫a 2
+b x2 2
=
ab
tan −1  
 a
∫ (a 2
+x )
2 2
=
2a 3
tan −1 ( x / a ) + 2 2
(
2a a + x 2 )
xdx 1
(
∫ a 2 + x 2 = 2 ln a + x
2 2
) ∫ (x
x 2 dx
=
1
tan −1 ( x / a ) −
1 x
2
+a )
2 2 2a 2 x + a2
2

xdx
∫ a2 + x2 = a + x
2 2
sin 3 x sin x
∫ cos x cos 2 xdx = 6
+
2
( 2
) x sin 2 x
∫ cos x dx = 2 + 4 ∫ (sin x )dx = 3 cos
3 1 3
x − cos x

sin nθ sin mθ = [cos(n − m )θ − cos(n + m )θ ]

1
2
d
(ln u ) = 1 du ;
d
(
tan −1 u = ) 1 du
dx u dx dx 1 + u 2 dx

Info Sheet, page 1

Thin Airfoil Theory:
1 + cos θ
For a symmetric airfoil: γ (θ ) = 2αV∞
sin θ
 1 + cos θ ∞ 
For a non-symmetric airfoil: γ (θ ) = 2V∞  A0 + ∑ An sin (nθ )
 sin θ n =1 
1 π dz 2 π dz 1 π dz
A0 = α − ∫ dθ An = ∫ cos nθdθ α = =− ∫ (cos θ − 1)dθ
π 0 dx π 0 dx π 0 dx
L 0

π A  π
cl = π (2 A0 + A1 ) c m,le = −  A0 + A1 − 2  c mac = ( A2 − A1 )
2 2  4

x/c = 0.5 (1 – cos θ )

π π
∫ 0
cos nθ cos mθdθ =
2
only if n = m, (otherwise = 0)
∫
π
(cos nθ )dθ = 0
, 0
π π
∫ 0
sin nθ sin θdθ =
2
only if n = 1, (otherwise = 0)

Glauert Integral:
π cos nθ sin nθ 0 π sin nθ sin θ
∫ 0 cosθ − cosθ 0
dθ = π
sin θ 0 ∫ 0 cosθ − cosθ 0
dθ = −π cos nθ 0

Finite Wings:
+b / 2
1 dΓ / dy
w( y0 ) = −
4π ∫
−b / 2
y0 − y
dy Downwash velocity at y0

Γ( y0 )
+b / 2
1 dΓ / dy
α ( y0 ) =
πV∞ c( y0 )
+ α l = 0 ( y0 ) +
4πV∞ ∫
−b / 2
y0 − y
dy Prandtl’s Lifting Line Theory

For an elliptic circulation distribution:

[
Γ( y ) = Γ0 1 − (2 y / b ) ]
2 0.5
; w = −Γ0 / 2b ; CL =
Γ0πb
2V∞ S
; y / b = 0.5 cos θ

Compressible Flow: β = 1 − M ∞2

Info Sheet, page 2