First Theory of wings and blades

Chapter 3

Potential flows

Dr. Ngo Ich Long

School of Mechanical Engineering
Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST)
16-Jun-23 1
 Outlines

3.1 Velocity potential and stream function

3.2 Standard flows in terms of ψ and ϕ

Add more information about potential flow from the

following movie for next course:
[Link]
16-Jun-23 2
 3.1. Velocity potential and stream function

* Foundation

ζ: Zeta

The equation for the z component

of the vorticity

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 3.1. Velocity potential and stream function

* Foundation

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 3.1. Velocity potential and stream function

* Foundation
+ If we define a scalar function ϕ

Satisfied
Continuity Eq.

ϕ is a harmonic potential function

ϕ is called as “velocity potential”

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 3.1. Velocity potential and stream function

* Foundation
+ If we define a function ψ

ψ is also a harmonic
potential function

+ Lines of φ=const are perpendicular (or orthogonal) to

lines of ψ=const → The former are equipotential lines, and
the latter are streamlines.
+ These relationships are the Cauchy-Riemann equations,
+ They plays an important role to solve potential-flow
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 3.1. Velocity potential and stream function

* Foundation

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 3.1. Velocity potential and stream function
* Application of
harmonic potential function

What is minimum surfaces:

[Link]
16-Jun-23 [Link] 8
 3.1. Velocity potential and stream function

* Velocity potential

It is called the velocity potential

of P with respect to O

Relationship between velocity vector q and line OP at its segment δs

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 3.1. Velocity potential and stream function

* Complex potential

According to the theory of complex-variable

function, if  and  are harmonic function
and satisfy Cauchy-Riemann condition, a
complex function (x,y)+ i(x,y) becomes a
function of complex variabl z defined as:

z = x + iy = r ( cos + i sin  ) = rei

Complex plane
Therefore, existing a complex function
F(z) = (x,y)+ i(x,y) that is called complex
potential

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 3.1. Velocity potential and stream function

* Complex potential

F =  + i and z = x + iy

……………………………………………………………..

+ u = u+ i·v is called complex velocity

Complex plane

+ u = u- i·v is called conjugate velocity

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 3.2. Standard flows in terms of ψ and ϕ

* Uniform flow
There are four basic two-dimensional flows: uniform parallel stream,
source (sink), doublet, and point vortex

+ Flow of Constant Velocity Parallel to the x-Axis

+ Flow of Constant Velocity in any direction

Uniform stream at an arbitrary

angle θ from the x-axis.
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 3.2. Standard flows in terms of ψ and ϕ

* Uniform flow
+ Complex potential:

F ( z ) = V ze −i

+ Complex velocity:

V = V e −i

Uniform stream at an arbitrary

angle α from the x-axis.
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 3.2. Standard flows in terms of ψ and ϕ

* Flow from a source (sink)

+ Laplace equation in polar coordinates is

For cylindrically symmetric solutions this reduces to

Solution

Let us assume a source (sink) of strength m(−m) is located at r = 0 → C1 =

m/(2π) and C2 = 0

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 3.2. Standard flows in terms of ψ and ϕ

* Flow from a source (sink)

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 3.2. Standard flows in terms of ψ and ϕ

* Flow from a source (sink)

The potentials of a
source: the radial lines
emanating from the origin
are the streamlines; the
concentric circles
surrounding the origin are
lines of constant velocity
potential.

Using MATLAB

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 3.2. Standard flows in terms of ψ and ϕ

* Flow from a source (sink)

+ Complex potential:
q
F (z) = ln z
2

+ Complex velocity:
q
V (z) =
2 z

Source (sink) point in polar

coordinate system.
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 3.2. Standard flows in terms of ψ and ϕ

* Flow from a Doublet

at (x, y)=(0, 0)

Using MATLAB
The potentials of an −x directed doublet:
streamlines and velocity potential lines
are circles; flow along the x-axis is in the
−x direction.
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 3.2. Standard flows in terms of ψ and ϕ

* Flow from a Doublet

+ Complex potential:
 ei
F (z) =
2 z

+ Complex velocity:
 ei
V (z) = −
2 z 2

Source (sink) point in polar

coordinate system.
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 3.2. Standard flows in terms of ψ and ϕ

* Flow from a line (point) vortex

at (x, y)=(0, 0)

Using MATLAB

The potentials of a point vortex:

streamlines are concentric circles;
velocity potential lines are radial lines.
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 3.2. Standard flows in terms of ψ and ϕ

* Flow from a line (point) vortex

+ Complex potential:
i
F (z) = ln z
2

+ Complex velocity:
i
V (z) =
2 z

Source (sink) point in polar

coordinate system.
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 3.2. Standard flows in terms of ψ and ϕ

* Solid Boundaries and Image systems

+ To represent the flow in the region of a
contour or body, it is only necessary to
replace the contour by a similarly shaped
streamline; in this case, the closed
streamline is oval shaped because it divides
the flow between a source, So, of strength m
followed by a sink, Si, of strength −m along
the x-axis in a uniform stream.
+ All of the source flow is consumed by the
sink; hence, a closed dividing streamline is
formed that can be used to model a body of
the same shape in a uniform inviscid flow.

Solid boundaries constructed

by image systems of singular
solutions.
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 3.2. Standard flows in terms of ψ and ϕ

* Solid Boundaries and Image systems

+ When arbitrary contours and their adjacent flows
have to be replaced by identical flows containing
similarly shaped streamlines, image systems must
be placed within the contour that reflect the
external flow system in the solid streamline.

Solid boundaries constructed

by image systems of singular
solutions.
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 3.2. Standard flows in terms of ψ and ϕ

* A flow through a cylinder in Cartesian coordinate

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 3.2. Standard flows in terms of ψ and ϕ

* A flow through a cylinder in Cartesian coordinate

Using V and as velocity and length scale

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 3.2. Standard flows in terms of ψ and ϕ

* A flow through a cylinder in Cartesian coordinate

Pressure distribution around a circle; Pressure distribution around a

this is a plot of Cp versus x circle; CL = 0.
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 3.2. Standard flows in terms of ψ and ϕ
* A flow through a cylinder in Cartesian coordinate

Γ=0

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 3.2. Standard flows in terms of ψ and ϕ

* A flow through a cylinder in Cartesian coordinate

Or

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 3.2. Standard flows in terms of ψ and ϕ

* A flow through a cylinder in Cartesian coordinate

Or

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 3.2. Standard flows in terms of ψ and ϕ

* Flow through a cylinder without circulation, Γ=0, in complex plane

+ Complex potential:

 ei
F ( z ) = V ze − i
+
2 z
+ Complex velocity:
 ei
V ( z ) = V e −i
−
2 z 2 Streamlines through a cylinder without
circulation
+ Cylinder radius a,
Stagnation point satisfies when α=0, then :
 
  x =  
V ( z ) = V − = 0 → z =  IF  2 V  a =
2 V
2 z 2 2 V 
y = 0

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 3.2. Standard flows in terms of ψ and ϕ

* Flow through a cylinder with circulation, Γ≠ 0, in complex plane

+ Complex potential:

 ei i
F ( z ) = V ze −i
+ − ln z
2 z 2
+ Complex velocity:
 ei i
V ( z ) = V e −i
− −
2 z 2 2 z Streamlines through a cylinder without
circulation
+ Cylinder radius a,
Stagnation point satisfies when α=0, then :
 V a 2 ei i
 F ( z ) = V ze +
− i
 − ln z
r=a=  z 2
2 V  2 i
V z = V e −i − V a e − i
 ( ) 
z2 2 z
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 3.2. Standard flows in terms of ψ and ϕ

* Flow through a cylinder with circulation, Γ≠ 0, in complex plane

+ Boundary condition for stagnation
point placed on the real axis:

 = −4 aV sin 

Streamlines through a cylinder without

circulation

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 3.2. Standard flows in terms of ψ and ϕ

* Joukowski Airfoil and the Circular Cylinder

The solution of the flow around a circular cylinder mentioned above can be used to predict
the flow around thin airfoils. We can transform the local geometry of the cylinder into an
airfoil without influencing the geometry of the far-field flow → Conformal mapping.

Streamlines and the definition of α.

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 3.2. Standard flows in terms of ψ and ϕ

* Joukowski Airfoil and the Circular Cylinder

+ Each point on the circle corresponds to a unique point on the airfoil.
+ Potential at each point on cylinder is the same as the corresponding point on airfoil.
+ The different is the distance between points → velocity and pressure distributions on the
airfoil must be determined from the mapped distribution of the potential.

For an airfoil with zero camber For cambered thin airfoils at small angles of
attack

where f is the maximum camber at midchord

of a camber line that is symmetric fore and aft
of the midchord.

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 3.2. Standard flows in terms of ψ and ϕ

* Conformal mapping
Tài liệu giảng LTC_Ly Thuyet Canh-C03- 2

Yêu cầu Bài tập lớn

Trang bìa: Học phần: Lý thuyết cánh I

Họ và tên:
MSSV:

Đầu vào: C = 1
=
=
Đầu ra: R = a =
m=
=
16-Jun-23 = 35