Considerations of the Vorticity Fields on Wings

Summary

Inviscid flow fields of lifting wings usually are calculated with the help of the Kutta condition, which forces the flow smoothly off the wing surface at the trailing edge. The resulting vortex sheet behind the wing in reality carries vorticity which is created at the wing surface due to the non-slip condition. It is discussed qualitatively how the vorticity properties of wing boundary layers fit into the picture of the potential flow model of lifting wings. Especially it is shown how the vorticity vector in the boundary layers, which leave the surface at the trailing edge, corresponds to the (model) potential flow behind the wing. Finally the calculated boundary layer on a swept wing is analysed revealing additional information about the computed flow field.