Airfoils
This page is an extension of a project I did in school. Play around with the airfoil geometry to see how it changes the streamlines and pressure distribution.
Explanation
Understanding pressure distributions on aerodynamic bodies is critical in aerodynamic design. Numerical panel methods are used to model the pressure acting on a semi-infinite body at low speeds. Panel methods show that the pressure distribution is entirely dependent on the geometry of the body and can be modeled by combining elementary flows to produce dividing flows that follow the shape of the body. By placing source sheets around the surface of the body a non-lifting pressure distribution is found. Placing vortex flows on the surface of the body adds lift to the analysis but is sensitive to geometry. The most accurate method to predict the pressure and lift is found by combining source and vortex flows around the surface of the body. The results are accurate when compared to experimental data at low angles of attack.