Aniket Singh, “The Vortex Panel Method: An Analysis of Limitations”
Mentor: Amanuel Teweldemedhin, Mathematics & Natural Sciences
Poster #183

Several studies have shown the effectiveness of Vortex Panel Methods and their applications in dealing with potential flow applications. However, there has yet to be a study to thoroughly analyze the limitations of the Vortex Panel Method concerning lift, drag, and moment coefficients as they change with the angle of attack. This study develops a MATLAB program to perform the Vortex Panel Method with a focus on data analysis. The main results that are used by this study are the pressure coefficient plot across the length of an airfoil; the coefficients of lift, drag, and moment over angle of attack; and the streamline plot. Five NACA airfoils (0012, 0015, 23012, 4412, 6412) are analyzed through this program to get results from various airfoils. All airfoils are tested from an angle of attack ranging from 0-20° and done with 200 panels. The pressure distribution and streamline plots are done at a 10° angle of attack.  The NACA 4412 is compared against a previous study to validate the program’s accuracy. The results from this analysis are then compared against experimental data to determine the limitations of the Vortex Panel Method. From the data gathered, results for the coefficient of lift are only accurate to around an angle of attack of 15-17°; the coefficient of drag is accurate until 3-6°; and the pitching moment is accurate until 6-10°. The differences between the experimental results and expected behavior are due to flow compressibility, viscosity, and rotationality. These results can better inform future studies using the Vortex Panel Method to predict airfoil behavior. Future research is required to determine more accurate ranges for all NACA airfoils.