The Evaluation of an Integral Equation Method for Two-Dimensional Shock-Free Flows

Abstract

SummaryThe numerical aspects of the integral equation method developed by Nixon and Hancock for two-dimensional steady shock-free flow have been rationalised; this numerically refined method is evaluated by calculating the pressure distribution around a wide range of aerofoils. These test cases include aerofoils in supercritical shock-free flow as well as subcritical flow and exact solutions are available for comparison. The computational time in the present method is significantly less than that required by the exact methods. The present results compare satisfactorily with the exact results.