Publication Date:
2011-08-24
Description:
Panel method computer programs are software tools of moderate cost used for solving a wide range of engineering problems. The panel code PMARC_12 (Panel Method Ames Research Center, version 12) can compute the potential flow field around complex three-dimensional bodies such as complete aircraft models. PMARC_12 is a well-documented, highly structured code with an open architecture that facilitates modifications and the addition of new features. Adjustable arrays are used throughout the code, with dimensioning controlled by a set of parameter statements contained in an include file; thus, the size of the code (i.e. the number of panels that it can handle) can be changed very quickly. This allows the user to tailor PMARC_12 to specific problems and computer hardware constraints. In addition, PMARC_12 can be configured (through one of the parameter statements in the include file) so that the code's iterative matrix solver is run entirely in RAM, rather than reading a large matrix from disk at each iteration. This significantly increases the execution speed of the code, but it requires a large amount of RAM memory. PMARC_12 contains several advanced features, including internal flow modeling, a time-stepping wake model for simulating either steady or unsteady (including oscillatory) motions, a Trefftz plane induced drag computation, off-body and on-body streamline computations, and computation of boundary layer parameters using a two-dimensional integral boundary layer method along surface streamlines. In a panel method, the surface of the body over which the flow field is to be computed is represented by a set of panels. Singularities are distributed on the panels to perturb the flow field around the body surfaces. PMARC_12 uses constant strength source and doublet distributions over each panel, thus making it a low order panel method. Higher order panel methods allow the singularity strength to vary linearly or quadratically across each panel. Experience has shown that low order panel methods can provide nearly the same accuracy as higher order methods over a wide range of cases with significantly reduced computation times; hence, the low order formulation was adopted for PMARC_12. The flow problem is solved by modeling the body as a closed surface dividing space into two regions: the region external to the surface in which an unknown velocity potential exists representing the flow field of interest, and the region internal to the surface in which a known velocity potential (representing a fictitious flow) is prescribed as a boundary condition. Both velocity potentials are required to satisfy Laplace's equation. A surface integral equation for the unknown potential external to the surface can be written by applying Green's Theorem to the external region. Using the internal potential and zero flow through the surface as boundary conditions, the unknown potential external to the surface can be solved for. When the internal flow option, which allows the analysis of closed ducts, wind tunnels, and similar internal flow problems, is selected, the geometry is modeled such that the flow field of interest is inside the geometry and the fictitious flow is outside the geometry. Items such as wings, struts, or aircraft models can be included in the internal flow problem. The time-stepping wake model gives PMARC_12 the ability to model both steady and unsteady flow problems. The wake is convected downstream from the wake-separation line by the local velocity field. With each time step, a new row of wake panels is added to the wake at the wake-separation line. Time stepping can start from time t=0 (no initial wake) or from time t=t0 (an initial wake is specified). A wide range of motions can be prescribed, including constant rates of translation, constant rate of rotation about an arbitrary axis, oscillatory translation, and oscillatory rotation about any of the three coordinate axes. Investigators interested in a visual representation of the phenomenon they are studying with PMARC_12 may want to consider obtaining the program GVS (ARC-13361), the General Visualization System. GVS is a Silicon Graphics IRIS program which was created for the purpose of supporting the scientific visualization needs of PMARC_12. GVS is available separately from COSMIC. PMARC_12 is written in standard FORTRAN 77, with the exception of the NAMELIST extension used for input. This makes the code fairly machine independent. A compiler which supports the NAMELIST extension is required. The amount of free disk space and RAM memory required for PMARC_12 will vary depending on how the code is dimensioned using the parameter statements in the include file. The recommended minimum requirements are 20Mb of free disk space and 4Mb of RAM. PMARC_12 has been successfully implemented on a Macintosh II running System 6.0.7 or 7.0 (using MPW/Language Systems Fortran 3.0), a Sun SLC running SunOS 4.1.1, an HP 720 running HP-UX 8.07, an SGI IRIS running IRIX 4.0 (it will not run under IRIX 3.x.x without modifications), an IBM RS/6000 running AIX, a DECstation 3100 running ULTRIX, and a CRAY-YMP running UNICOS 6.0 or later. Due to its memory requirements, this program does not readily lend itself to implementation on MS-DOS based machines. The standard distribution medium for PMARC_12 is a set of three 3.5 inch 800K Macintosh format diskettes and one 3.5 inch 1.44Mb Macintosh format diskette which contains an electronic copy of the documentation in MS Word 5.0 format for the Macintosh. Alternate distribution media and formats are available upon request, but these will not include the electronic version of the document. No executables are included on the distribution media. This program is an update to PMARC version 11, which was released in 1989. PMARC_12 was released in 1993. It is available only for use by United States citizens.
Keywords:
AERODYNAMICS
Type:
ARC-13362
Format:
text
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