A computational procedure has been developed in order to predict aerodynamic interference between lifting surfaces, and to devise configurations which best meet given aerodynamic requirements. The procedure, which couples an aerodynamic solver with a numerical optimisation routine, is useful in the preliminary design of aircraft. The essential features of the aerodynamic code and of the optimisation routine are described, along with the coupling criteria. Some of the most significant predictions obtained in induced-drag minimisation for wing-tail and canard configurations are described and discussed.

This paper is part of a DLR research programme to develop a three-dimensional Euler code for the calculation of unsteady flow fields around helicopter rotors in forward flight. The present research provides a code for the solution of Euler equations around aerofoils in arbitrary unsteady motion. The aerofoil is considered rigid in motion, and an O-grid system fixed to the moving aerofoil is generated once for all flow cases. Jameson's finite volume method using Runge-Kutta time stepping schemes to solve Euler equations for steady flow is extended to unsteady flow. The essential steps of this paper are the determination of inviscid governing equations in integral form for the control volume varying with time in general, and its application to the case in which the control volume is rigid with motion. The implementation of an implicit residual averaging with variable coefficients allows the CFL number to be increased to about 60. The general description of the code, which includes the discussions of grid system, grid fineness, farfield distance, artificial dissipation, and CFL number, is given. Code validation is investigated by comparing results with those of other numerical methods, as well as with experimental results of an Onera two-bladed rotor in non-lifting flight. Some numerical examples other than periodic motion, such as angle-of-attack variation, Mach number variation, and development of pitching oscillation from steady state, are given in this paper.

The performance of axial line singularity methods has been investigated systematically for various solution parameters using carefully chosen test cases. The results indicate that increasing the number of elements and using stretched node distribution improves the solution accuracy until the matrix becomes near-singular. The matrix condition number increases with these parameters as well as with the order of intensity variation and profile thickness. For moderate fineness ratios, the linear methods outperform zero-order methods. The linear doublet method performs best with control points at the x-locations of nodes while the source methods perform best with control points mid-way between nodes. The doublet method has a condition number an order of magnitude lower than the source method and generally provides more accurate results and handles a wider range of bodies. With appropriate solution parameters, the method provides excellent accuracy for bodies without slope discontinuity. The smoothing technique proposed recently by Hemsch has been shown to reduce the condition number of the matrix; however it should be used with caution. It is recommended to use it only when the solution is highly oscillatory with a near-singular matrix. A criterion for the optimum value of the smoothing parameter is proposed.

This study provides the theoretical foundation for a well-established, but.heretofore empirical, criterion for incipient separation in moderately hypersonic shock/boundary layer interactions. It is based on an examination of the leading high Reynolds number approximation to triple deck theory, combined with its reformulation in terms of the reference temperature concept. The analysis further provides extensions giving the effects of both low supersonic Mach numbers and non-adiabatic wall temperatures on incipient separation.