Grid generation and flow calculations for aircraft geometries

Abstract

A method for calculating the flowfield around complex aircraft configurations based on a multiblock gridgeneration approach coupled with an Euler flow algorithm is presented. In this approach the flowfield is subdivided into a set of nonoverlapping blocks. Grids are generated simultaneously in all of the blocks using an elliptic grid-generation method. Appropriate boundary conditions on the block faces ensure that grid lines pass smoothly between adjacent blocks leaving a grid that is globally smooth except for a few isolated geometric singularities. A geometry package for use with the grid generator based on bicubic surface patches and with component intersection capability is briefly described and the generation of grids on the configuration surfaces is treated in some detail. An explicit finite volume Euler algorithm has been developed for use with the multiblock grids and is described herein. Some preliminary results obtained using the multiblock system are presented.