The numerical calculation of subcritical steady potential flow around an unyawed ellipsoid

Abstract

The problem of a subcritical, potential, steady, three-dimensional flow past an unyawed ellipsoid is considered, using ellipsoidal coordinates. The full equations of motion and the exact body surface boundary condition are used throughout. Further, by means of a simple transformation the entire flow field is taken into the computation. A finite difference method, followed by an iterative process is used for the solution of the flow equations. Mach number distributions are given for a number of examples, for the free-stream flow aligned along either the major axis, or the second major axis of the ellipsoid.