Potential flow about two-dimensional hydrofoils

Abstract

This paper describes a very general method for determining the steady two-dimensional potential flow about one or more bodies of arbitrary shape operating at arbitrary Froude number near a free surface. The boundary condition of zero velocity (solid wall) or prescribed velocity (suction or blowing) normal to the body surface is satisfied exactly, and the boundary condition of constant pressure on the free surface is satisfied using the classic small-wave approximation. Calculations made by the present method are compared with analytic results, other theoretical calculations and experimental data. Examples for which no comparison exists are also presented to illustrate the capability of the method.