The strengths and weaknesses of Computational Fluid Mechanics (CFM) in aerodynamic design and analysis. Part 1: Background and philosophy

The capabilities of modern theoretical methods for predicting some of the more important types of aerodynamic flow are summarized and the likelihood of their development and acceptance as routine, mainstream tools of the aircraft aerodynamicist are discussed. The impact of the new generation of computers and the associated numerical algorithms on the ability to solve large systems of differential equations, significantly reducing the need for expensive, time-consuming wind-tunnel tests and transforming aircraft design from a black art to an exact science is examined. The concept of validation of computational fluid mechanics methods is developed, involving the assessment of the accuracy with which the numerical method solves the boundary value problem posed. The methods discussed include linearized potential flow methods, nonlinear potential flow methods, the transonic small perturbation theory and exact inviscid flow methods.