Constant shear flow past an airfoil with arbitrary surface suction

Summary

The problem of two-dimensional airfoils of any shape placed in constant shear flow when either tangential or normal velocity is prescribed on the airfoil surface, has been studied. The complex variable method is employed to find the stream-function and the forces on the airfoil. Cases of over-all suction localised and multi-slot suction are considered. In a numerical example on over-all suction the lift and drag forces are evaluated. It is concluded that the case of shear flow gives promise of considerable lift increase over the potential flow case, though there is a corresponding increase in drag also.