A method for computing three-dimensional vortex flows

A new vortex method is presented for computing incompressible, inviscid, three-dimensional fluid flows. It is pointed out that this method has the convenient numerical properties of the two-dimensional vortex method, and, for this reason, is ideally suited for computing fluid flows in many problems of aerodynamic and hydrodynamic interest. Thus, jets and concentrated wake vortices can be studied, taking into account wing-tip, strake, nose, and horseshoe vortices. The bookkeeping efforts involved in extending this method to a consideration of viscous effects are not very great, and the discussed procedure has, therefore, an advantage over the vortex filament method. Another advantage is related to the absence of requirements for the tracking of a finite difference grid. The considered method was successfully tested with respect to three problems.