A Three Dimensional Vortex Particle-Panel Method for Modeling Propulsion-Airframe Interaction

The panel code has been a pivotal tool for aerodynamic simulations for decades, today providing users with quick solutions without the necessity of a volume grid. Unfortunately, the panel code also carries with it some inherent shortcomings when compared with other methods. One such weakness is its inability to account for any work done on or by the system in question. This paper proposes a method to address this issue by combining vortex particles with a panel code, and using them to model the work effects of a propeller or engine. While the proposed model is still a work in progress, it has already demonstrated the ability to qualitatively predict pressure coefficient and velocity changes that would be expected for a variety of propeller-body combinations.

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