Panel Methods – Source Panel Method

➔ Panel methods are a way of discretizing arbitrary shapes and applying the distribution
of elemental flows over the curved or un-curved surface to recreate the streamline
patterns that look like the boundary (profile or surface of the object).
o Source sheet for non-lifting bodies.
o Vortex sheet for lifting bodies.
➔ Numerical methods must be used to solve the equations.
➔ Elemental flows helped us to solve specific flows like semi-infinite bodies, Rankine
oval, Stationary cylinders, and Rotating cylinders.
➔ But if the shape is arbitrary like airfoils (symmetric or cambered), wedges, and
fuselage, then we need to use panel methods.
➔ With panel methods, we discretize complex aerodynamic shapes into panels.
➔ On each panel, we place a mini elemental flow. By tuning the strength of each flow
element, we can recreate the streamlines that represent the original aerodynamic
shape.
➔ Because of the discretization, this technique is primarily computational.

Discretization:

• First consider an airfoil. Generally, the surface of the foil represents a continuous
smooth curve.
• Divide the curve into many small connected segments called Panels.

m
• The ends of the segments are called boundary points.
• The center of the segments is called the control points.
• Each segment (panel) gets a number that rises sequentially.
 • Keep in mind that the surface of the foil does not actually exist and the panel does not
represent the solid surface.
• Elemental flows are placed on the panels. (Source → Source Panel Method or Vortex
→ Vortex Panel Method).

Source Panel Method:

• This is a method that recreates the shape of a body using a source sheet or a series
of closely spaced sources or sinks.
• Source Panel Method is purely for non-lifting bodies. There is no addition of
circulation through these flow elements, therefore no lift.
• This limits the application to primarily symmetric bodies with no angle of attack.

• Consider a source sheet along a curve. The curve s starts at point A and ends at point
B. The sheet strength is depicted as λ.

• λ = λ(s), source strength per unit length along s.

• The strength of a single source is represented by Λ which represents the volumetric
flow rate per unit depth into the page.
• However, we are dealing with a series of elements along a curve, and we consider
the strength in segments along that curve.
• λ → Volumetric flow rate per unit depth and unit length s.
• We are interested in how a segment of the curve ds acts on the point p. The distance
between the point p and the segment is r.
• The velocity potential at point p due to the segment ds is
ds
d = ln r
2
λds → Strength of source sheet of a small segment. 𝛌 is a sheet strength as a
function of a point on the curve.

Recall for a source,


= ln r
2
• The complete velocity potential at point p due to all the segments,
ds
 ( x, y ) = 
b
ln r
a 2
If the λ is right, then the streamline field accurately reflects the body shape that we are
interested.
• Develop the equation to solve for the sheet strength distribution (λ) such that the
streamline represents the body.
• Let us approximate the source sheet by a series of straight panels. To accomplish this
and to work with the closed surface we need to discretize the sheet into panels.

U

• Considering the point p, the potential of p from the jth panel alone
j
2 j
 j = ln rpjds j

Velocity potential induced at point p due to the jth panel.

The strength parameter is constant across a segment. So, it is outside the
integral.
 • The velocity potential at point p from all the panels,
n n j
 ( p ) =   j = 
2 j
ln rpjds j
j=1 j=1

This equation successfully defines the velocity potential throughout the entire flow field
because the point p can be chosen anywhere we want. However, this equation is
unsolvable because λ is still unknown.
• The distance rpj is given by,

(x − x ) + (y − y )
2 2
rpj = j j

Where (xj, yj) are coordinates along the surface of the jth panel.
• Since point P is just an arbitrary point in the flow, let us put P at the control point of the
ith panel.
n n j
 ( xi , yi ) =   j = 
2 j
ln rijds j
j=1 j=1

(x − x ) + (y − y )
2 2
Where rij = i j i j

Boundary condition:
• Flow cannot go through the surface or penetrate it. Velocity normal to the wall is zero
(at the wall).
• Consider the ith panel, the normal velocity on the ith panel has two specific contributions.
→ Due to freestream: A portion of the flow is normal to the surface. The angle
between the freestream and the unit normal vector of ith panel is i .

U,n = U • n = U cos i

U,n is positive when directed away from the surface.

→ Due to surrounding panels: Normal component of velocity induced by surrounding
panels.

Un =  ( xi, yi ) 
ni 
• Two contributions to the normal velocity due to freestream and the surrounding panels
get added together and set equal to zero, because of the surface boundary condition.
n 
i 
+ j 
2 j=1 2 ni
j
(ln rijds j ) + U cos i = 0
This is a linear algebraic equation with n unknowns ( 1,  2 , 3 ,..., n ) .
 • The first term i 2 is the normal velocity induced at the ith control point by the ith
panel itself.

➢ Consequently, a singular point arises on the ith panel because when j = i, at

the control point itself rij = 0 .
➢ It can be shown that when j = i, the contribution to the derivative is simply
i 2 .

• The second term is the summation is the normal velocity induced at the ith control point
by all the other panels.

• The third term is the normal velocity induced at the ith control point due to freestream
velocity.

• Let s be the distance along the body surface. The component of freestream velocity
tangent to the surface is

U,s = U sin i

• The tangential velocity at the control point of the ith panel induced by all the panels is
obtained by

Us =  ( xi , yi ) 
s 
• The total surface velocity at the ith panel is
j 
(ln rijds j ) + U sin i
n
Ui = U,s + Us = 
j=1 2 j s
• In turn, the pressure coefficient at the ith control point is obtained from

Cp = 1 − (Ui U )
2

Reference:

Anderson, J. (2011): Fundamentals of Aerodynamics (SI units). McGraw hill.