Chapter 6

Three-Dimensional
Incompressible Flow

Yanjie Li
Harbin Institute of Technology
Shenzhen Graduate School
 Outline
• Lifting-surface theory
Chapter 5
• Vortex lattice numerical method
• Three-dimensional source
• Three-dimensional doublet
• Flow over a sphere
• General three-dimensional flows: panel
techniques
 Lifting-Surface Theory
• Lifting-line theory is inappropriate for low-aspect-ratio
straight wings, swept wings and delta wings.
Extend a simple lifting line model by
placing a series of lifting lines on the
plane of the wing.
Line Surface
Downstream of the trailing
edge has no spanwise vortex
lines and only trailing vortices.

The strength of this wake

vortex is given by δ w ,which
depends only on y
Consider point P located at ( x, y ) on the wing
 The lifting surface and the wake vortex sheet both induce a normal component of
P
velocity at point
Want the w
wing
( x, yplatform to be a steam surface of the flow, that is, the sum of the

)
induced and the normal component of the freestream velocity to be zero
P
at point

 The central theme of lifting surface theory is to

find γ ( x, y ) and δ ( x, y ) such that the flow-
tangency condition is satisfied at all points
An expression for induced normal velocity w( x, y ) in terms of γ ,δ , and δw

Consider a point given by the coordinates (ξ ,η )

Spanwise vortex strength is γ (ξ ,η )
The strength of filament of the spanwise vortex
sheet of incremental length dξ is γdξ

Using Biot-Savart law, the incremental velocity

induced at P by a segment dη of this
spanwise vortex filament of strength γdξ is

Considering the direction and sin θ = ( x − ξ ) / r

(5.78)
Similarly, the contribution of the elemental chordwise vortex of strength
to the induced velocity at P is
(5.79)

The velocity induced at point P by the complete wake vortex can be given by
an equation analogous to the above equation
δ w ( y − η )dξdη
(dw)δ w =−
4π r3 (*)
Eq. (5.78) and Eq. (5.79) should be Integrated over the wing planform, Region S,
Eq. (*) should be integrated over region W ,
Noting
The normal velocity induced at P by both
the lifting surface and the wake is
The central problem of lifting-surface theory is to solve the following equation for
γ ( x, y ) and δ ( x, y )

w( x, y ) + normal component of the freestream = 0 (**

)
Numerical solution:

1. Dividing the wing platform into a number of panels and choosing control
points on these panels, Eq. (**) results in simultaneous algebraic equations at
these control points. Solving these equations, we can obtain the values of γ
and δ

2. Vortex lattice method

Vortex lattice method

Superimpose a finite number of

horseshoe vortex of different
strength Γn on the wing surface

At any control point P ,

applying the Biot-Savart
law and flow-tangency
condition, we can obtain a
system of simultaneous
algebraic equations, which
can be solved for the
unknown Γn
 Chapter 6

Three-Dimensional Incompressible
Flow
 Three-Dimensional Source
Consider the velocity potential given by

Satisfying Laplace’s equation (3.43)

A physically possible incompressible, irrotational three-dimensional flow

The gradient in spherical coordinates

Eq. (6.2) describes a flow with straight
streamlines emanating from the origin.

The velocity varies inversely as the square of

the distance from the origin

Such a flow is defined as a three-dimensional

source or called simply a point source

To calculate the constant C in Eq. (6.3a)

Consider a sphere of radius r and surface S centered at the origin.

Volume flow
λ is defined as
the strength of
source. λ < 0
a point source is
a point sink.
 Three-Dimensional Doublet
Consider a sink and source of equal but opposite strength located at point O and A

From Eq. (6.7), the velocity potential at P is

where µ = λl .

The flow field produced by Eq. (6.9) is a three-dimensional doublet.

From Eq. (2.18) and Eq. (6.9)

The streamline of this velocity field

are the same in all the zr planes.

The flow induced by the three

dimensional doublet is a series
of stream surfaces generated by
revolving the streamlines in this
figure.

The flow is independent of Φ .Such a flow is defined as axisymmetric flow.

 Flow over a Sphere
Consider the superposition of a uniform flow
and a three-dimensional doublet

Spherical coordinates of the freestream

Combining the flow of three-dimensional doublet

To find the stagnation points in the flow.

Two stagnation points on Z axis, with (r , θ ) coordinates

 (flow-tangency condition)

The impressible flow over a sphere of radius R

On the surface of the sphere of radius R, the tangential velocity is

From Eq. (6.16),

Three-dimensional relieving effect

A general phenomenon for all types of three-dimensional flows

Two examples:

3
Maximum tangential velocity for three-D flow is V∞
2 The maximum surface
velocity on a sphere is less
Maximum tangential velocity for two-D flow is 2V∞ , than that for a cylinder

The pressure distribution on the surface of the sphere is

The pressure distribution on a cylinder is 1− 4 sin θ

2
Comments on Three-Dimensional Relieving Effect

Physical reason for the three-dimensional relieving effect

• First, visualize the two-dimensional flow over a circular cylinder. In

order to move out of the way of the cylinder, the flow has only two
ways to go: riding up-and-over and down-and-under the cylinder.

• In contrast, visualize the three-dimensional flow over a sphere. In

addition to moving up-and over and down-and-under the sphere, the
flow can now move sideways, to the left and right over the sphere.

• The sidewise movement relieves the previous constraint on the flow.

 General Three-Dimensional Flows
Panel Techniques
• Calculate the three-D flow by means of numerical panel
techniques.
• General idea behind all such panel programs:
– Cover the three-dimensional body with panels
– Unknown distributions are solved through a system of
simultaneous linear algebraic equations generated by calculating
the induced velocity and applying the flow-tangency condition
– Consider the source and vortex panels
• Geometric complexity of distributing panels
– How to get the computer to see the precise shape?
– How to distribute the panels over the body?
– How many panels do you use? And so on……….
Thank you