Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Complex Potential
• Application examples
W  az com a  
W  ax  i ay
• Velocity potencial function
 ( x, y )  ax,   constant  x  constant
- Equipotentials are vertical straight lines
• Stream function
 ( x, y )  ay,   constant  y  constant
- Streamlines are straight horizontal lines
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Complex Potential
• Application examples
W  az com a  
y =constant
W  ax  i ay
• Complex velocity =constant
dW
V  a x
dz
U  a, V  0

• Uniform flow parallel to the x axis with V  a

Masters of Mechanical Engineering

 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Complex Potential
• Application examples
W  az com a  a1  i a2  a1  a2 e  i arctga2 a1 
2 2

W  a1  i a2  x  i y   a1 x  a2 y   ia1 y  a2 x 

• Velocity potential function
a1
 ( x, y )  a1 x  a2 y ,   constant  y   x  constant
a2 a1
- Equipotentials are tilted lines with slope 
a2
• Stream function
a2
 ( x, y )  a1 y  a2 x,   constant  y  x  constant
a1
a
- Streamlines are tilted lines with slope 2
Masters of Mechanical Engineering a1
 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Complex Potential
• Application examples
W  az com a  a1  i a2  a1  a2 e  i arctga2 a1 
2 2

y =constant
• Complex velocity
=constant
dW a
V   a1  i a2 x
dz
U  a1 , V  a2

• Uniform flow with an angle a with the x axis

a 
a  arctg 2  z *  ze ia
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
 a1 
 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Complex Potential
a
• Application examples W  z 2 with a  
2
a a
 
W   x  i y   x 2  y 2  iaxy 
2
2

2
• Velocity potential function

a 2

 ( x, y )  x  y 2 ,   constant  y 2  x 2  constant
2
- Equipotentials are rectangular hyperbolas
with the lines y=x and y=-x as asymptotes

Masters of Mechanical Engineering

 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Complex Potential
a
• Application examples W  z 2 with a  
2
a a
 
W   x  i y   x 2  y 2  iaxy 
2
2

2
• Stream function
constant
 ( x, y )  axy,   constant  y 
x
- Streamlines are rectangular hyperbolas
with the axis as asymptotes

Masters of Mechanical Engineering

 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Complex Potential
a
• Application examples W  z 2 with a  
2
• Complex velocity 1
=constant

=constant
0.75

dW
V   az  a x  i y 
0.5

dz 0.25

y
-0.25

U  ax, V  ay
-0.5

-0.75

-1
-1 -0.75 -0.5 -0.25 0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1
x

• Flow at 4 right angles (90º angle)

Masters of Mechanical Engineering

 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Complex Potential
• Application examples W  a z 2 with a  
2
• An impermeable wall is a stream line, for an ideal
fluid any streamline may be replaced by a wall
(the no slip condition does not apply)
- The half-planes y≥0 and y≤0, represent the flow
towards an infinite flat wall
- Each quadrant represents the flow at a right corner
90º angle

Masters of Mechanical Engineering

 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Complex Potential
a
• Application examples W  z 2 with a  
2
- Flow for y≥0 =constant =constant

Masters of Mechanical Engineering

 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Complex Potential
a
• Application examples W  z 2 with a  
2
- Flow in the first quadrant, x  0  y  0
=constant

=constant

Masters of Mechanical Engineering

 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Complex Potential

• Flow around dihedrals W  a z n with a  

n
a
 
n a a a
W  rei  r n ei n  r n cos(n )  i r n sen(n )
n n n n
• Velocity potential function
a
 ( x, y )  r n cos(n ),   ct e  r n cos(n )  ct e
n
• Stream function
a
 ( x, y )  r n sen(n ),   ct e  r n sen(n )  ct e
n
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Complex Potential

• Flow around dihedrals W 

a n
z with a  
n
- Complex velocity
dW
V   az n 1  ar n 1ei n 1
dz
V  ar n 1 cosn  1   i ar n 1 senn  1 
U  ar n 1 cosn  1 
V  ar n 1 senn  1 

V  V  ar n 1

Masters of Mechanical Engineering

 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Complex Potential

• Flow around dihedrals W 

a n
z with a  
n
• Stream function
a
 ( x, y )  r n sen(n ),   ct e  r n sen(n )  ct e
n
- Streamline, =0
sen(n )  0
k
 k  0,1,2,...  0    2 
n

 0  0, 1 
n
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Complex Potential

• Flow around dihedrals W 

a n
z with a  
 n
n  2, 1   Concave corner
2
=constant =constant

  
n  6, 1  n  4, 1  n  3, 1 
6 4 3
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Complex Potential

• Flow around dihedrals W 

a n
z with a  
 n
n  2, 1   Right corner
2
=constant

=constant
4 3
n  , 1  
3 4

n  1, 1    Uniform flow
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Complex Potential

• Flow around dihedrals W 

a n
z with a  
n
n  1, 1    Convex corner
4 7
=constant =constant n  , 1 
7 4

2
n
4 5 3
n  , 1  3
5 4 1 
Masters of Mechanical Engineering 2
 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Complex Potential
a
• Flow around dihedrals W  z n with a  
1 n
n  , 1  2  Flat plate (maximum 1)
2
=constant

=constant

Masters of Mechanical Engineering

 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Complex Potential

• Flow around dihedrals W 

a n
z with a  
 n
- Dihedral angle a 
n
- First wall coincides with the positive real axis

- Dihedral angle is measured in the anti-clockwise

direction

- Previous illustrations for 0   
n

Masters of Mechanical Engineering

 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Complex Potential

• Flow around dihedrals W 

a n
z with a  
n
- Complex velocity
dW
V   az n1  ar n 1ei n1
dz
- Velocity at the origin of the coordinate system,
dihedral corner, r=0

V  ar n 1

Masters of Mechanical Engineering

 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Complex Potential

• Flow around dihedrals W  z n with a  

a
 n 1
n
V  ar
1  
n 1   n 1
V
 r 0  0 0 Concave corner
1  
n 1   Uniform flow
 V r 0  a
1  
1 
 n 1    1
2  r 0 01n   Convex corner
V 
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Complex Potential

• Flow around a cylinder W  az  a , a  

z
a  1  1
W  arei  i  a cos  r    i a sen  r  
re  r  r

• Velocity potential function

 1  1
 ( x, y )  a cos  r  ,   ct e  cos  r    ct e
 r  r
• Stream function
 1  1
 ( x, y )  a sen  r  ,   ct e  sen  r    ct e
 r  r
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Complex Potential
a
• Flow around a cylinder W  az  , a  
z
• Streamline =0
 1
sen  r    0
 r
 1
sen   0   r    0
 r
  0      r 1

• x axis plus circumference of radius 1 with the centre

at the origin of the coordinate system
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Complex Potential
a
• Flow around a cylinder W  az  , a  
z
• Streamline =0

=constant

=constant

 R2 
• For a cylinder of radius R  W  a z  , a  
 z 
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Complex Potential
a
• Flow around a cylinder W  az  , a  
z
• Streamline =0

=constant

r 1 =constant

 R2 
• For a cylinder of radius R  W  a z  , a  
 z 
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Singularities

• Source/sink is any point of a plane flow where

fluid is generated/destroyed
- 2m is the flow
rate per unit width
created/absorbed
by the line of
1 source/sinks
- m is the strength
of the source/sink
- m>0 source,
m<0 sink
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Singularities

• A lineof sources/sinks (2-D) produces a radial


flow, V  Vr er
 
Vr  ,  rV  0
r 
• The velocity potential is obtained from the continuity
equation (mass conservation)

2rVr  2r  2m
r
  m lnr 
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Singularities

• Lines of sources/sinks

• The radial velocity is inversely proportional to r

m
Vr 
r
• Velocity potential
  m lnr 
• Riemann-Cauchy condition in polar coordinates
 1  1  
 , 
r r  r  r
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Singularities

• Lines of sources/sinks
m 1  
 , 0
r r  r
• Stream function
  m
• Complex potential
W    i  m lnr   i m
 
W  mlnr   i    m ln rei
M
W  m ln z   ln z 
2
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Singularities

• Line of sources/sinks located at z1

M
W  m ln z  z1   ln z  z1 
2
=constant

=constant

Masters of Mechanical Engineering

 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Singularities

• Line of sources of strength m located at z1 plus

a line of sinks with symmetric strength (-m) at –z1

ia • Complex potential
z1  ae +m
a
of the ensemble
a
a W  m ln z  z1   m ln z  z1 
a
-m  a   a 
W  m ln1  e ia   m ln1  eia 
 z   z 
• When aeia  0  W  m ln(1   )  m ln(1   )

Masters of Mechanical Engineering

 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Singularities

• Line of dipoles
- Taylor series expansion of the logarithmic function
around z=1
2 3
ln(1   )      ...
2 3
2 3
ln(1   )      ...
2 3
- For small values of 
2maeia 2m3 a 3e i 3a
W   3
 ...
z 3z
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Singularities

• Line of dipoles
ia
- At the limit, when ae  0  m  

eia
W    2ma
z
 
W  cos  a   i sen  a 
r r

Masters of Mechanical Engineering

 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Singularities

• Line of dipoles

- Velocity potential function

 
  x, y    cos  a ,   ct e , cos  a   ct e
r r
- Stream function
 
  x, y   sen  a ,   ct e , sen  a   ct e
r r

Masters of Mechanical Engineering

 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Singularities

• Line of dipoles

- Complex velocity

dW eia eia  i a  2 
V   2  2 i 2  2 e
dz z r e r
 
U 2
cosa  2 , V  2
sen2  a 
r r

Masters of Mechanical Engineering

 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Singularities

• Line of dipoles y

x
=constant

=constant

Masters of Mechanical Engineering

 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Singularities

• Flow with circular streamlines and constant

circulation, G, for all streamlines. G is positive
for anti-clockwise flow direction
  1 
G   V  ds V 2r  2r
r 
 G

 2

Masters of Mechanical Engineering

 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Singularities

• A vortex line produces

 a circumferential flow

V  V e
1  G 
V   ,  Vr  0
r  2r r
• The velocity potencial is obtained from the
circulation

2rV  2 G

G
 
2
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Singularities

• Vortex line

• The tangential velocity is inversely proportional to r

G
V 
2r
• Velocity potential
G
 
2
• Riemann-Cauchy conditions in polar coordinates
 1  1  
 , 
r r  r  r
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Singularities

• Vortex line
1  G 
0 , 
r  2r r
• Stream function G
  lnr 
2r
• Complex potential
G G
W    i    i lnr 
2 2
G
W  i lnr   i     i G lnrei 
2 2
G
W   i ln z 
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
2
 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Singularities

• Vortex line located at z1

G
W  i ln z  z1 
2
=constant

=constant

Masters of Mechanical Engineering

 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Superposition of Singularities

• It is possible to obtain the flow around solid

bodies combining a uniform flow with singularities.
The body surface is equivalent to one of the
(dividing) streamlines. The linear character of
the Laplace equation guarantees that this is an
acceptable strategy

Masters of Mechanical Engineering

 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Superposition of Singularities

• Line of sources at z=0 plus a uniform flow

M
W  U z  ln z 
2
dW M 1
 U 
dz 2 z
dW M
0 z
dz 2U 
- Stream function
M M M
  r sen    r  ,       
2 2U  2
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Superposition of Singularities

• Line of sources at z=0 plus a uniform flow

Masters of Mechanical Engineering

 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Superposition of Singularities
• Line of sources at z=-a, line of sinks at z=a
plus uniform flow
M M
W  U z  ln z  a   ln z  a 
2 2
dW M a
 U 
dz  z2  a2
dW M
 0  z  a 1 
dz aU 
- Stream function
M  y  M  y  M
  y arctg   arctg , x   a 1  , y  0   0
2  x  a  2  xa aU 
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Superposition of Singularities
• Line of sources at z=-a, line of sinks at z=a
plus uniform flow

M
1
aU 

Masters of Mechanical Engineering

 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Superposition of Singularities

• Dipole with  orientation and U  R 2 strength at z=0

plus uniform flow
 R2 
W  U   z  
 z 
dW  R2 
 U  1  2 
dz  z 
dW
 0  z  R
dz
- Stream function
 R2 
  U  sen  r  , z   R    0
 r 
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Superposition of Singularities

• Dipole with  orientation and U  R 2 strength at z=0

plus uniform flow

Masters of Mechanical Engineering

 Aerodynamics

Ideal Fluid
Superposition of Singularities

• In all the previous examples, the streamline that

defines the body surface (dividing streamline)
contains the stagnation points

• A stagnation point corresponds to zero velocity

dW
V  0
dz
• The value of  of the dividing streamlines is
obtained introducing the coordinates of the
stagnation points in the stream function

Masters of Mechanical Engineering