Unsteady panel method for flows with multiple bodies moving along various paths

A potential flow based three-dimensional panel method was modified to treat time-dependent conditions in which several submerged bodies can move within the fluid along different trajectories. This modification was accomplished by formulating the momentary solution in an inertial frame of reference, attached to the undisturbed stationary fluid. Consequently, the numerical interpretation of the multiple-body, solid-surface boundary condition and the viscous wake rollup was considerably simplified. The usteady capability of this code was calibrated and validated by comparing computed results with closed-form analytical results available for an airfoil, which was impulsively set into a constant speed forward motion. To demonstrate the multicomponent capability, computations were made for two wings following closely intersecting paths (i.e., simulations aimed at avoiding mid-air collisions) and for a flowfield with relative rotation (i.e., the case of a helicopter rotor rotating relative to the fuselage). Computed results for the cases were compared to experimental data, when such data was available.