An exact analytic solution is presented for axisymmetric compressible swirling flow in an annular passage. The solution is given in terms of simple expressions for the streamline shapes. The results can be used to describe an irrotational flow as well as a class of rotational flows in annular passages, such as might be encountered in turbomachinery components. The solution could be applied as a test case for numerical computations of flows in turbomachines.

The paper deals with the free transverse vibration and stability analysis of circular cylindrical composite panels. The panels are assumed to be composed of an arbitrary sequence of 0° and 90° layers. The non-dimensional vibration and buckling parameters are computed for simply-supported panels consisting of antisymmetric crossply graphite-epoxy laminates. The influence of the coupling between bending and extension, shear deformation, the panel curvature, and the aspect ratio are then discussed.

A comparison is made of two recently published integral equation methods for calculating the high subsonic flow around lifting and non-lifting aerofoils. It is shown that one method leads to a non-unique solution.

The numerical aspects of the integral equation method developed by Nixon and Hancock for two-dimensional steady shock-free flow have been rationalised; this numerically refined method is evaluated by calculating the pressure distribution around a wide range of aerofoils. These test cases include aerofoils in supercritical shock-free flow as well as subcritical flow and exact solutions are available for comparison. The computational time in the present method is significantly less than that required by the exact methods. The present results compare satisfactorily with the exact results.

The paper describes the application of a recently developed numerical scheme to the computation of the flow in a curved duct. The flow situation is partially-parabolic in nature as there are significant elliptic effects, which are transmitted through the pressure field. The turbulence model used comprises two differential equations, one for the kinetic energy of turbulence and the other for its dissipation rate. It has been observed that the predictions using the new procedure agree very satisfactorily with the experimental data. Comparisons are also made with the predictions of a fully-parabolic calculation procedure.

The “reference enthalpy” and local flat plate concepts are used to derive some simple expressions for the turbulent heat transfer rate distribution over an arbitrary body at supersonic and hypersonic speeds. The connection between pressure and heat transfer rate is established and tested against a number of experimental data.