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Three-dimensional panel method for low-speed aerodynamics


Capabilities

Structured mesh generation: Lofts • Bodies of revolution • User-defined space transformations

Unstructured mesh import: OpenVSP • CAD (e.g., SolidWorks) + Gmsh • Meshes.jl

Multi Element: Source-panel or doublet/vortex-ring for non-lifting bodies • Doublet/vortex-ring for lifting bodies with rigid wake model

Flexible Solver: Direct LU decomposition • Iterative Krylov (GMRES) • Handling of both watertight and open meshes • Multiple bodies

Fast Computation: GPU enabled • CPU threaded • Low memory allocation • Type stable • Adjoint solver through ImplicitAD for gradient-based optimization • Support for both ForwardDiff and ReverseDiff

Current Limitations: Inviscid (no viscous drag nor stall) • Incompressible • No fast multipole method (though a 30,000 panel problem can still be solved in as fast as 90 seconds on a laptop)

Coded in the Julia language for Linux, MacOS, and Windows WSL.

Tested in Julia v1.10


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Installation Instructions

  1. Download and install Julia
  2. Type in the Julia REPL: ] add FLOWPanel
  3. (optional) For visualization, install ParaView and make sure that it is callable from the terminal typing paraview

Copy and paste any of the examples directly in the Julia REPL to run your first simulation


Selected Publications

See the following publication for an in-depth dive into the theory and validation:

  • E. J. Alvarez, C. Joseph, & A. Ning (2023), "Vortex Particle Method for Electric Ducted Fan in Non-Axisymmetric Flow," AIAA AVIATION Forum. [VIDEO] [SLIDES] [PDF]


About

FLOWPanel is an open-source project jointly led by Whisper Aero and the FLOW Lab at Brigham Young University. All contributions are welcome.


Sponsors

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