NUMERICAL SOLUTION OF POTENTIAL FLOW PAST

AXISYMMETRIC BODY USING DIRECT BOUNDARY

ELEMENT METHOD

Karima E. Amori
Dep. Of Mech. Eng. , University of Baghdad ,Iraq

ABSTRACT

The application of boundary element method in potential problems encountered in

engineering is widely studied and continuously developed. In this paper it is utilized
in two dimensional cases for fluid flow past axisymmetric bodies implies in the
evaluation of analytical integration of singular and nonsingular cases. This numerical
technique used with constant and straight elements employed to solve the Laplace
equation and then to compute the pressure coefficient around boundary of a circular
cylinder and flow vectors past fixed and rotating circular cylinder in addition to fixed
elliptical cylinder. There are advantages in this procedure compared with other
common numerical methods in terms of accuracy and computer effort due to its
reduction in problem dimensionality.

‫الخلصة‬

‫يتم دراسة تطبيق طريقة العناصر المحيطية في المسائل الهندسية‬

‫ في البحث الحالي تم تطبيق هذه‬.‫بصورة كبيرة وبتطور مستمر‬
‫الطريقة العددية لمسألة ثنائية البعد لجريان كامن حول أجسام‬.
‫متناظرة وباستخدام التكامل التحليلي للحالتا الفردية واللفردية تم‬
‫استخدام عناصر مستقيمة وثابتة القيمة عند تطبيق هذه الطريقة العددية‬
‫لحل معادلة اللبلسا ومن ثم لحساب معامل الضغط وكذلك متجهاتا‬
‫السرعة حول اسطوانة دائرية ثابتة ثم دوارة وكذلك حول اسطوانة‬
‫هناك ميزاتا لهذه الطريقة على الطرق المعروفة من‬. ‫اهليليجية ثابتة‬
‫ناحية الدقة وكذلك جهد الحساب بسبب تخفيض أبعاد المسألة‬.

Key wards : potential flow , boundary element method

INTRODUCTION :

Since potential problem is a fundemental problem of field analysis, it is useful

that we analyze the Laplace problem by boundary element method .
The main characteristic of this numerical method is that it reduces the
dimensionality of the problem when compared with other domain techniques. It’s
utilization in two-dimentional problems implies in the evaluation of some kind of
integrals.
Brebbia et.al (1984) used the direct and indirect boundary element method to
solve the 2-dim. potential and viscous flow problems. The weighted residual
technique is employed to formulate integral equations. The integrals evaluated

1
using numerical integration for non-singular and analytical integration for singular
case .
Decominck (1986) pointed out the important aspect of the analytical integration
with the necessity of using numerical integration which cover all range of
geometry’s. Hess and Smith (1967) developed a method for calculating
incompressible potential flow about arbitrary body shapes. They utilized a
distribution of singularities over the body surface and compute this distribution as
the solution of integral equation. Connor(1976), Taylor(1981) have employed the
two dimensional potential problems using the finite element techniques in their
publications.
In the present work direct boundary element method is described for discretizing
boundary integral equation with straight and constant elements which result a linear
algebraic equations solved using Gauss siedel method to get the potential and velocity
values at boundary and then at the interior flow domain . this is found to be efficient.

DIRECT BEM

It can
be shown that for potential problems the following integral equation is obtained
(Brebbia et.al. 1984) :
u ( p)   t (Q)U ( p, Q)dS (Q)   u (Q)T ( p, Q)ds(Q)
s s

(1)

Where:
u(Q) potential function at point Q on boundary S
t(Q) the normal derivative of u(i.e) the velocity at point Q
U(p,Q) the fundamental solution at Q for a source at point p
T(p,Q) the normal derivative of U

The integration is carried out over a line S for two dimensional problem (which is
the area concerned in this paper) or a surface S for three dimensional problem.
Let us examine the case where points p and Q coincide. We define a region of
exclusion around point P with radius  and integrate around it. The integrals above
can be split up into integrals over S-S  the part of the curve without the exclusion
zone and into integrals over S  that is the circular boundary. As  approaches zero
it does not matter if we integrate over s  or S  as shown in the figure below.
Q n s
S  S  
p
S

Diagram explaining the limiting value of integrals for two dimensional potential problems

The right hand side of integral equation is written as:-

 t (Q)U ( p, Q)dS (Q)   u (Q)T ( p, Q)ds(Q)   t (Q)U ( p, Q)ds(Q) 

S S S  S

2
  u (Q)T ( p, Q)ds(Q)   t (Q)U ( p, Q)dS (Q)   u (Q)T ( p, Q)ds(Q)
S  S S S

(2)
Examining the first integral at RHS by using polar coordinates we can change the
integration limits for a smooth surface at P from zero to  and substitute for the
fundamental solution U. Furthermore as in the limit P will be coincident with Q, it
can be written that t(Q)=t(p) and u(Q)=u(p) then we have

1 1 1
lim  t (Q)U ( p, Q)dS (Q)  lim t ( p )  ln( )d  lim t ( p ) ln( )  0
 0
S
 0
0
2   0 
(3)

The last integral in(2) can be written as


cos 
lim  t (Q)U ( p, Q )dS (Q)  lim u ( p )  d
 0
S
 0
0
2

1 1 1
 lim u ( p )  d  lim  u ( p )   u ( p )
 0
0
2  0 2 2
(4)

Hence the integral equation that has to be used for the case where the source points
are located on the continuos line (S) is given by

1  
u ( p )  lim  t (Q )U ( P, Q )ds (Q )   u (Q)T ( P, Q)ds (Q)
2   0
 S  S S S

(5)

The boundary is not smooth but has a corner as shown. Hence the last integral in (2)
has to be modified as follows:

cos 
 u (Q)T ( p, Q)dS (Q) 
S
u( p)
0
2
d

where cos   cos   1

since    (angle between normal vector and the line (PQ))

1 
u ( p)  d   u ( p)
0
2 2

Amore general integration equation which also can be used for non smooth
boundaries can be written for potential problems as:

 
Cu ( p )  lim  t (Q )U ( P, Q ) ds (Q )   u (Q )T ( P, Q)ds (Q)
 0
 S  S S S

(6)

3
 
where: C=1-
2

SOLUTION OF INTEGRAL EQUATION:

Boundary Nodes

Using the direct boundary element produced, a set of integral equations can be
derived which relates the potential to its normal gradient, in which the normal unit
vector points outward from the fluid domain. To solve the boundary integral equations
the boundary can be divided into straight line segments (for two dimensional
problem) over which the values of u and t are assumed to be constant. Point p
(collocation point) assumed to be located at the center of each segment in this method
the solution convergence guaranteed as the number of elements tends to infinity. The
integrals can now be evaluated over each element separately and contributions added,
i.e eq. (6) written as:

1 e N N
u   Ti e u e   U ie t e for I= 1,2,……. N (7)
2 e 1 e 1

Where
N : No. of elements
ue : the potential function of the center of element e
te : the normal derivative of u at the center of the element e

Ti e   T ( pi, Q)dS

Se
e (Q ) (8)

this integration can be evaluated analytically using polar coordinates knowing that 
is the angle between the normal vector n to the element e and r the position vector
between the source p and element e.

cos
Ti e  
Se
2r
dS e (9)

U ie   U ( pi, Q)dS e (Q)  1 1

Se
 2r ln( r )dS
Se
e

(10)

For a fluid flow past circular cylinder the velocity to is specified at the boundary and
the potentials are unknown .
Using matrix notation the system of equations can be written as:

 T  u   U  t  (11)
where

4
 sin 1 
sin  
t   V  2 
 
sin  N 

where  e is the angle from positive x axis to center of the boundary segment e in
counterclockwise.

1 N 
2 1   T 1
..... T1
2
................T 1 
 
1
 T   T21.......... 2  T22 ...........T2N 
...................................................
 
...................................................

U11.....U 12 .....................U1N 
 1 N 
 U   U 2 .....U 2 .....................U 2 
2

...................................................
 
...................................................

u 1 
 2 
u 
 
 u  u 3 
 
 
u N 
 

eq.(9) and eq.(10) are evaluated using local coordinate system x`, y` through point p
and polar coordinates as shown in the figure below where  is defined anticlockwise
from a line perpendicular to the element e with start node A and end node B
rd 
n
cos 

5
 rA B
x`
r
rB
B y`
A 

Polar coordinates system used for analytical evaluation of integral T ei

cos rd  1
Ti e  
Se
2 r cos 

2
( B   A ) (12)


1 1 rd  B
1 rd 
U   e
ln( )   (ln r )
Se
i
2r r cos  A
2 cos 

r cos
 U ie    tan    ln r  1      BA (13)
2

Now the angle  is computed by evaluating the normal unit vector and a unit vector
from A to B of the element e of length L as:

x A  xB y  yB
V AB  i A j  V ABX i  V ABY j (14)
L L

y A  yB x  xB
n i A j  nxi  n y j (15)
L L

Such that
V AB  n  0
or V AB  k  n
The definition of dot product as :

n  r  n r cos 
V AB  r  V AB r sin 
since the value of n 1 and V AB  1 then
nr
  cos 1 (16)
r
V AB  r
also sin   (17)
r
If pi is belong to the element e then

Ti i  0 (18)

L L
U ii  (ln  1) (19)
2 2

6
Using eq (11) ( derived previously) a set of integral equations related to the boundary
nodes of the domain can be derived which solved by Gauss Siedel method to evaluate
the potential (u) at these nodes.

Interior nodes:

The results at any point inside the domain can be readily computed . In contrast to the
finite element method where results at all node or Gauss points are computed as part
of the solution. Eq. (6) rewritten for a point pa inside the domain as

 
u ( p a )    t (Q )U ( Pa , Q ) ds (Q )   u (Q)T ( P a , Q )ds (Q ) 
S S 
(19)

or in discretized form using the subdivision of boundary into line segments

N N
u ( p a )   T e ( p a )u e   U e ( p a )t e (20)
e 1 e 1

where
cos 
T e  T ( p a , Q )dS e (Q ) 
 dS e  1 ( B   A )
Se Se
2r 2
(21)

U e   U ( p a , Q )dS e (Q)  1 1
Se
 2r ln( r )dS
Se
e

r cos
U e    tan    ln r  1      BA (22)
2

The velocity at (pa) in x–y directions are computed by taking the derivative of eq.(20)

u ( p a )  U ( p a , Q ) T ( p a , Q) 
Vx ( pa )     t (Q ) ds (Q)   u (Q ) ds (Q )
x S x S
x 
(23)

N N
v x ( p a )   R xe` ( p a )u e   S xe` ( p a )t e (24)
e 1 e 1

u ( p a )  U ( p a , Q ) T ( p a , Q ) 
V y ( pa )     t (Q ) ds (Q )   u (Q ) ds (Q )
y S y S
y 
(25)

7
 N N
v y ( p a )   R `` ( p a )u   S e`` ( p a )t e
e e
(26)
y y
e 1 e 1

1 (27)
S xe`  ( Be   Ae )
2

1 cos  Be (28)
S ye`  ln
2 cos Ae

1 (29)
R xe`  (cos B sin  B  cos A sin  A )
2rA cos A

1 (30)
R ye`  (cos 2  B  cos 2  A )
2rA cos  A

The contribution of element e to the velocity in x` and y ` direction is given as:

v xe` ( p a )  S xe` t e  Rxe u e (31)

This has to be transferred into global direction x,y using the following equations

V xe ( p a )  n x v xe`  n y v ey ` (32)

V ye ( p a )  n y v xe`  n x v ey ` (33)

The final velocity is computed by summing all elements contributions.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION :-

Results for the variation of pressure coefficient around fixed circular cylinder
boundary in uniform cross flow are presented in Fig.(1.a). It obvious that Cp=1 at y=1
and y=-1 (i.e stagnation points) while its maximum value occurs at y=0. A very good
agreement between boundary element solution and available theoretical solution
(Anderson 1984) which is given as:
Cp  1  4 * sin 2 
(  measured clockwise from –ve y-axis). For rotated cylinder with R  V (the
direction of angular velocity is anticlockwise ) this variation will be no more
symmetric for left and right side of the cylinder as shown in Fig (1.b). The velocity at
the right side of the body increases since the free stream velocity is in the same
vertical sense as the rotating direction and it is decayed on the left side because they
opposes each other, hence the maximum value of (Cp) be at y=0 on the right side. At
y=1 or y=-1 Cp take the zero value because of the x-component of velocity is equal to
R while y-component =0. The numerical results compare very well with the
available theoretical solution (Anderson 1984) which is given as:
R R
Cp  1   4 * sin 2   4 * sin   ( ) 2 
V V

8
 Fig(2) shows the flow vectors past circular fixed cylinder it can be noticed the
position of stagnation points at y=1,and y = -1 the effect of the body disappeared at
x= 10R. Fig (3) shows the flow around elliptical cylinder, it can be seen that the
velocity approaches zero at bottom and top of the body. Fig (4) shows the velocity
vectors distribution along a rotated circular cylinder with   VR while Fig(5.a) for
  0.5VR and Fig(5.b) for   4VR , in this figure it is noticed that the stagnation
point lies on y=0, x= -R .

CONCLUSION:

Considering the approach derived in this paper and the results presented, it can
be concluded that the direct boundary element method with analytical integration
proposed provides an efficient alternative to solve potential problems. Since the
number of grid points needed is much lesser than that used in finite difference method
or finite element method therefor the program execution run time is strongly reduced
and consequently it requires less computer effort.

REFRENCES:

Anderson (1984), Fundamental of aerodynamic.

Brebbia,C.A., Telles,J.C.F. and Wrobel,L.C., (1984) , Boundary Element

Technique Theory and Applications in Engineering. Springer-verlag, Berlin
New York.

Connor,J.J., and Brebbia,C.A., (1976) ,Finite Element Techniques for fluid flow.
Newnes Butterworths.

Decominck, J., (1986), Analytic integration of integrals involved by two –dimensional

boundary element method using straight elements, Engineering analysis, vol.3,
1 .0 0
pp.173-179.

Hess,J.L., and Smith,A.M.O., (1967) Calculation of potential flow about arbitrary

____ th e o r.
bodies, progress in Aeronautical science V.8, (D.Kuchemann,Ed.),
+ d ir e c t B E M Pergamon
press,London.
0 .0 0
Lage, J.L. and Costa Jr., J.A. (1987). Potential problems solved by analytical
integration scheme. Boundary element techniques: Applications in fluid flow
and computational aspects. (ed. Brebbia, C.A. and Venturini, W.S.)
Taylor,C. ,and Hughes,T.G., (1981), Finite element programming of the Navier-stokes
equations
-1 .0 0 .
Cp

V
-2 .0 0

9 -3 .0 0

-1 .0 0 -0 .5 0 0 .0 0 0 .5 0 y / R 1 .0 0
F ig (1 .a ) : V a r ia tio n o f C p a lo n g fix e d c ir c u la r c y lin d e r
 2 .0 0

le ft s id e o f t h e c ir c le

V
0 .0 0

-2 .0 0

V
Cp

Vo
-4 .0 0

(2 D )  0 4 J a n 1 9 9 7 

-6 .0 0
V

r ig h t s id e
o f th e c ir c le + d ir e c t B E M
____ th e o r.
-8 .0 0
y/ R
-1 .0 0 -0 .5 0 0 .0 0 0 .5 0 1 .0 0
F ig . ( 2 ) : V a r ia t io n o f C p a r o u n d r o t a t e d c ir c u la r c y lin d e r ( w = V / R )

10 x /R

-5 0 5 10
F i g ( 2 ) : F lo w v e c to r s a r o u n d f i x e d c i r c u l a r c y l in d e r
 (2D)  04 Jan 1997 

(2D)  04 Jan 1997 

t

-5 0 5
Fig (3): Flowvectors past elliptical cylinder (d/t)=2

11
-5 0 5 10
Fig(4): Flowvectors around rotated circular cylinder with(w= V/R)
 (2D)  05 Jan 1997 

(2D)  04 Jan 1997 

-5 0 5 10
Fig(5a): Flowvectors past rotated circular cylinder with (w= 0.5 V/R)

12
-5 0 5 10
Fig(5b): Flowvectors around rotated circular cylinder with (w= 4V/R)