Potential flow around an airfoil

[Clausius2]

I invoke those aero-brains flying around here in order to help me in these questions:

I want to simulate numerically using Matlab the potential flow around an airfoil. The first question is if anyone of you knows if is it possible a steady solution of such potential flow (subsonic and laminar) over an airfoil. To be honest, potential theory is not my best, surprisingly I have not learned it in my university. But I want to simulate an elliptic problem such this, in part because I think it might be easier, and I don't hope to start writing a computer program that has no steady solution.

Another question is the elliptic grid generation. I have seen it is necessary to solve a partial differential system of elliptic equations in order to generate it. So I will need some type of normalized airfoil shape. I have read that NASA has some series of such profiles. Those who are aero-heads surely know where can I found this shapes (that allow me to strum the coordinate transformations) in the web.

Any help will be wellcomed with a cool Duff beer sent by e-mail.

 

[aerobilal]

read fundamentals of aerodynamics by anderson chapter3 & 4. you need to write a vortex panel code. damn easy

 

[NatSusan]

As an internet forum user, I can offer some suggestions for your potential flow simulation. Firstly, it is possible to obtain a steady solution for potential flow over an airfoil using Matlab. There are many resources available online, such as tutorials and code examples, that can guide you through the process. It may also be helpful to consult with other Matlab users or ask for assistance on forums or online communities dedicated to aerodynamics or numerical simulation.

In terms of elliptic grid generation, it is true that a partial differential system must be solved in order to generate the grid. However, there are also tools and software available that can assist with this process, such as grid generation packages or add-ons for Matlab. As for obtaining airfoil shapes, NASA does indeed have a database of airfoil shapes that can be used for simulations. You can find this database on their website or by doing a quick internet search.

I hope this helps you in your potential flow simulation and wish you luck with your project. As for the Duff beer, unfortunately I cannot send it by email but I hope this advice will suffice! Happy simulating!