Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-r5fsc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T06:11:25.016Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Computer-aided design: aerodynamics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 July 2016

A. B. Haines*
Affiliation:
Aircraft Research Association Ltd, Bedford

Extract

In recent years, there have been rapid advances in the development of theoretical methods in aerodynamics, particularly for transonic flow calculations. Many papers have been written on this topic. It is however appropriate that there should now be a paper that concentrates not so much on the methods themselves but on the use of the methods for computer-aided design. One could say that the most striking development in the UK in the past two-three years has been that the methods are no longer merely within the preserve of the research establishments; they are being actively used by the aircraft industry in the design of actual aircraft projects. Any air of scepticism about their value has been dispelled. The designers are now appreciating through their own experience that with the aid of a powerful computer and indeed in some cases, a computer of only modest capacity, they can specify a shape for the first wind tunnel model of a new project with much more confidence that the test results will show that the shape is near what is required to achieve their design objectives. It is already being claimed that in this way, the time-scale of the design cycle is being shortened considerably. Also, the computer and the theoretical methods are being used increasingly in the interpretation of the test data. The forecasting of the full-scale characteristics on the basis of the model test data is developing into more of a science and less of an art based on past experience.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 1979 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Garabedian, P. R. and Korn, D. G. Analysis of transonic aerofoils. Com Pure Appl Math, 24, 841851, 1971.Google Scholar
2. Collyer, M. R. An extension to the method of Garabedian and Korn for the calculation of transonic flow past an aerofoil to include the effects of a boundary layer and wake. RAE Technical Report 77104 July 1977.Google Scholar
3. Sells, C. C. L. Plane subcritical flow past a lifting aerofoil. Proc Roy Soc (London), Vol 308(A), pp 377401. 1968.Google Scholar
4. Hall, M. G. and Firmin, M. C. P. Recent developments in methods for calculating transonic flows over wings. ICAS Paper 74-18. 1974.Google Scholar
5. Green, J. E., Weeks, D. G. and Brooman, J. W. F. Prediction of turbulent boundary layers and wakes in compressible flows by a lag-entrainment method. RAE Technical Report 72231. 1973.Google Scholar
6. Jameson, A. Numerical computation of transonic flows with shock waves. Symposium Transsonicum II, p 384. Springer-Verlag. 1975.Google Scholar
7. Lock, R. C. Unpublished MoD(PE) material.Google Scholar
8. Langley, M. J. Numerical methods for two-dimensional and axisymmetric transonic flows. ARA Memo 143. September 1973.Google Scholar
9. Tranen, T. L. A rapid computer-aided transonic aerofoil design method. AIAA Paper 74-501. 1974.Google Scholar
10. Haines, A. B. Unpublished note.Google Scholar
11. Lock, R. C. An equivalence law relating three- and two-dimensional pressure distributions. NPL Aero Report 1028. July 1962.Google Scholar
12. Haines, A. B. Computers and wind tunnels: complementary aids to aircraft design. The Aeronautical Journal, pp 306321. July 1977.Google Scholar
13. Jameson, A. Transonic flow calculations. VKI Lecture Series 87. Computational Fluid Dynamics. 1976.Google Scholar
14. Forsey, C. R. and Carr, M. P. The calculation of transonic flow over three-dimensional swept wings using the exact potential equation. Paper for DGLR Symposium, Bad Harzburg. June 1978.Google Scholar
15. Henne, P. A. and Hicks, R. M. Transonic wing analysis using advanced computational methods. AIAA Paper 78-105. 1978.Google Scholar
16. Lock, R. C. Research in the UK on finite difference methods for computing steady transonic flows. Symposium Transsonicum II. Springer-Verlag 1975.Google Scholar
17. Sloof, J. W. and Voogt, N. Aerodynamic design of thick, supercritical wings through the concept of equivalent subsonic pressure distribution. Paper for DGLR Symposium, Bad Harzburg. June 1978.Google Scholar
18. Haney, H. P. and Waggoner, E. G. Computational transonic wing optimisation and wind tunnel test of a semi-span wing model. AIAA Paper 78-102. January 1978.Google Scholar
19. Hunt, B. The panel method for subsonic aerodynamic flows: a survey of mathematical formulations and numerical models and an outline of the new British Aerospace scheme. VKI Lecture Series 1978. Computational Fluid Dynamics. March 1978.Google Scholar
20. Smith, P. D. An integral prediction method for three-dimensional compressible turbulent boundary layers. ARC R&M 3739. 1974.Google Scholar
21. Williams, B. R. and Woodward, D. S. Unpublished MoD(PE) material.Google Scholar
22. Baker, T. J. and Ogle, F. A. A computer program to compute transonic flow over an axisymmetric solid body. ARA Memo 197. July 1977.Google Scholar
23. Baker, T. J. A numerical method to compute inviscid transonic flows around axisymmetric ducted bodies. Symposium Transsonicum II. Springer-Verlag 1975. ARA Memo 173 (and addendum).Google Scholar
24. Baker, T. J. Transonic nozzle flow analysis by a relaxation method. ARA Report 51 (to be published).Google Scholar
25. MacCormack, R. W. The effect of viscosity in hyper-velocity impact cratering. AIAA Paper 69-354. 1969.Google Scholar
26. Kutler, P., Reinhardt, W. A. and Warming, R. F. Multishocked, three-dimensional supersonic flow fields with real gas effects. AIAA Journal, p 657664. May 1973.Google Scholar
27. Kutler, P. and Sakell, L. Three-dimensional, shock- on-shock interaction problem. AIAA Journal, p 13601367. October 1975.Google Scholar
28. Pagano, A. Calculation of three-dimensional supersonic flow fields by the method of finite difference using shock capturing techniques. BAC (Filton) Aero Report 115. October 1976.Google Scholar
29. Chapman, D. R. Computers vs wind tunnels for aerodynamic flow simulations. Astronautics & Aeronautics. April 1975.Google Scholar