Calculation of three-dimensional unsteady incompressible flows by a vortex method

A method derived from Rehbach's vortex method which permits the computation of three-dimensional flows of an incompressible fluid around an obstacle with arbitrary motion is presented. In Rehbach's method, the vortex field is discretized by means of turbulence particles. The flow is therefore described by two fields of discrete vectors: the vortex carried by each particle and a vector position characterizing the particle at each step of time. The method is applied to the flow around an oscillating flat plate placed in a uniform stream and is of interest in the study of the flow around complex configurations such as helicopter rotors, propellers, and wings with control surfaces.