Modeling Inviscid Fluid Flow Over Airfoils Through Conformal Mapping
Modeling Inviscid Fluid Flow
Over Airfoils Through
Conformal Mapping
Weiyu Tong, University of California, Santa Barbara
March 2016
Abstract
Airfoils are objects shaped to generate lift
in the presence of fluid flow. This pa-
per attempts to calculate this lift by first
modeling fluid flow over a cylinder and
then using conformal mapping to trans-
form the boundaries of the cylinder into
a Joukowsky airfoil. This transformation
also preserves flow lines and allows us to
ascertain the lift of an airfoil in inviscid
fluid flow.
Introduction
odern heavier-than-air flying vehicles such
M as airplanes and helicopters owe to their
meticulously-crafted wings to stay air-
borne. These wings are designed with the airfoil
shape in mind. Airfoils are the cross-sectional
shape of an object designed to generate lift in
Weiyu Tong
the presence of fluid flow. It is believed that air-
foils direct fluid downwards due to their shape
and therefore generates an upwards force due to
Newton’s Third Law. In order to investigate the
aerodynamic properties of airfoils, we need to first
define the physical characteristics of airfoils.
The front of an airfoil (where fluid flows to-
wards) is called the leading edge and is rounded.
The back of an airfoil is called the trailing edge
and terminates in a sharp point. The chord is the
line formed by the points of the trailing edge and
leading edge. The angle of attack is the angle
made by the chord and the direction of fluid flow
near the leading edge.
In aerodynamics, modeling the fluid as flowing
past a stationary object is identical to modeling
the object traveling in a stationary fluid. For
simplicity and consistency, we will consider that
the airfoil is stationary, though the value of lift
and its aerodynamic behavior is identical either
way.
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Modeling Inviscid Fluid Flow Over Airfoils Through Conformal Mapping Weiyu Tong

since the impact of flow over the airfoil will

Figure 1: Geometric Properties of An Airfoil
diminish to zero at infinity.
If we imagine V(z) be the gradient of a poten-
tial function,

∇φ(x, y) = V(z) (5)

Inserting this into Equation (2),

∇ · (∇φ) = ∇2 φ = 0 (6)
showing that it is a harmonic function. We
Inviscid Fluid Flow Theory define the complex potential
To simplify the modeling of fluid flow, we will
F(z) = φ(x, y) + iψ(x, y) (7)
assume the fluid around the airfoil is inviscid
(having no viscosity), and incompressible (hav- such that
ing constant density everywhere). This requires
d
our airfoil to travel well below the speed of sound F(z) = φx − iψy = u + iv = V(z) (8)
in the fluid, since otherwise turbulence and shock- dz
waves will form, disrupting the continuity of the where φ is the velocity potential and ψ is the
fluid. Let us define a complex-valued function, stream function. Consequently, setting each of
the velocity function these functions equal to a constant,

V(z) = u(x, y) + iv(x, y) (1)

φ(x, y) = C1 (9)
which describes the velocity of the fluid on
ψ(x, y) = C2 (10)
the complex plane, with the standard definition
z = x + iy. u(x, y) is therefore a real function gives us curves called equipotentials and stream-
which describes the x-component of the velocity lines respectively. Finally we conclude that
at a point z and v(x, y) is the same for the y-
component of the velocity. ∂φ ∂ψ
= (11)
The incompressibility of the fluid implies that ∂x ∂y
∂φ ∂ψ
=− (12)
∇·V =0 (2) ∂y ∂x
Similarly the lack of viscosity in the fluid im- which are the Cauchy-Riemann conditions.
plies it is irrotational, or Since φ and ψ are harmonic functions, applying
a transformation onto them preserves the angles
∇×V =0 (3) between them.
at every point in the fluid (except for certain
stagnation points). This is because the absence Fluid Flow Over a Cylinder
of friction prevents shear in the fluid and the
formation of vortices [3]. Lastly, we assume that Now, let us model fluid flow around a cylinder
the velocity of fluid at distances far from the in the z-plane, which we will then transform as
airfoil is equal and constant. flow around an airfoil in the w-plane. Let Γ be a
contour in the complex plane that traces out the
lim V(z) = V∞ (4) cross section of a cylinder. The simplest flow is a
z→∞

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Modeling Inviscid Fluid Flow Over Airfoils Through Conformal Mapping Weiyu Tong

uniform flow with constant velocity everywhere is zero. However, the interior of Γ is not within
and parallel streamlines. The components of its the domain of the fluid (since no fluid can enter a
complex potential is solid cylinder). Therefore, there can be a non-zero
circulation around Γ, called K
φ(r, θ) = V∞ r cos θ (13)
I
ψ(r, θ) = V∞ r sin θ (14)
K = V · ds (17)
Γ
Next, we consider a doublet flow, which is a source
and sink flow originating from the same point, as We model this with a vortex flow [5]
shown in Figure 2.
K
D cos θ φ=− θ (18)
φ= (15) 2π
2πr K
D sin θ ψ= ln(r) (19)
ψ=− (16) 2π
2πr
Superimposing the uniform flow, the doublet flow,
where D is the strength of the doublet. Superim- and the vortex flow together, we procure the
posing these two flows gives an accurate model complex potential for fluid flow over a cylinder
of fluid flow over a cylinder. However, it is sym- that generates lift.
metrical across the x-axis and generates no lift.
Consequently we also need to include a vortex D cos θ K
φ(r, θ) = V∞ r cos θ + − θ (20)
flow with circulation. 2πr 2π
D sin θ K
ψ(r, θ) = V∞ r sin θ − + ln r (21)
Figure 2: The doublet flow in (b) is a limiting case 2πr 2π
of the source and sink flow in (a) where
2d, the distance between the source and Stagnation Points
sink, approaches 0.
Stagnation points are points in the fluid where
the flow has zero velocity. We can calculate their
locations by deriving V and setting it equal to 0.
This results in
s  2
iK K
zstagnation = ± b2 − (22)
2πV∞ 4πV∞

where b is the radius of Γ.

Flow with Circulation
Since the countour Γ is a streamline, there can
be no component of V perpendicular to ds at
the surface Γ. This implies that the flux across
Γ is zero. Also as the flow is assumed to be
irrotational everywhere in the domain of the fluid,
the circulation of the flow around any simple
closed curve whose interior is within the domain
The Kutta condition requires that a stagnation
point exists at the leading edge and at the trailing
edge of the airfoil, to ensure continuity [4]. This
is equivalent to having stagnation points on Γ at
angles β and −β, where β is the angle between
the x-axis and the ray extending from the positive
x-intercept to the center, as shown in Figure (3).
We derive that the velocity of the fluid on the
surface of Γ to be
K
Vθ = −2V∞ sin θ − (23)
2πb

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Modeling Inviscid Fluid Flow Over Airfoils Through Conformal Mapping Weiyu Tong

Applying the Kutta condition results in

Figure 3: The Joukowsky Transform of (a), which
K only has an x-offset becomes (c). The
2V∞ sin β + =0 (24) transform of (b), which has both an x and
2πb
a y-offset becomes (d)
K = 4πV∞ R sin(β + α) (25)
where α is the angle of the streamlines for the
uniform flow with respect to the x-axis. A nec-
essary inclusion, since rotating the coordinates
or the uniform flow will not alter the value of
/K. With this formula, we can derive the value
of circulation about a cylinder.

The Joukowsky Transform

Having fully investigated the aerodynamic prop-
erties of our cylinder, we can transform this shape
to one which resembles airfoils. The Joukowsky
Transform [1], Once we have calculated K around the contour
Γ in the z-plane, the circulation around the airfoil-
λ2
J(z) = w = z + ; λ ∈ R (26) shaped contour Σ in the w-plane is readily known
z since their circulations are identical, thanks to
the conformal transformation.
accomplishes this elegantly. Applying this trans-
formation to a circular contour of radius b cen-
tered at the origin in the z-plane yields a line References
segment of length 4b in the w-plane, when λ = 1.
The same transformation but with λ > 1 yields [1] Paliouras J, Meadows D. Complex Variables
an ellipse. However, giving Γ’s center an x-offset for Scientists and Engineers. 2nd ed. New
and a y-offset yields a contour in the w-plane that York: Macmillan; 1990.
strongly resembles an airfoil. An offset Γ requires
[2] Matthews J, Howell R. Complex Analysis
that
for Mathematics and Engineering. Dubuque:
λ = b − |δ| (27)
WCB; 1996.
where δ is the z-value of its center.
[3] Schinzinger R, Laura P. Conformal Mapping
Methods and Applications. Mineola: Dover;
Calculating Lift 2003.

The Kutta-Joukowsky Theorem states that
the lift due to fluid flow around a contour is
L = iρKV∞ (28)
where ρ is the density of the fluid. Notice it is a
vector with only a y-component, corresponding
to an upwards force.
[4] Kampania N, Terracciano K, Taylor S. Mod-
eling the Fluid Flow around Airfoils Using
Conformal Mapping. SIAM Undergraduate
Research Online. 2008 [accessed 2016 Jan-
uary 19];1(2):70-99.
[5] Olver P. Complex Analysis and Confor-
mal Mapping. 2015 [accessed 2016 January

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20]; http://www.math.umn.edu/~olver/
ln_/cml.pdf.

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