Prediction of the Lift of a Pitching Wing Using a Four-Dimensional Implicit Space-Time Solver

A structured grid 4D numerical solver using the Space-Time Mapping Analysis (STMA) method is used to predict the inviscid flow about a pitching wing of infinite span. The STMA method combines high-accuracy differencing schemes in fully generalized spacetime curvilinear coordinates with an LU-SGS implicit iterative method for computational efficiency. The implementation details of the solver are fully described, and the resulting code is verified using the Method of Manufactured Solutions. The computed results are validated by comparison to Theodorsen’s analytic solution for the unsteady lift coefficient of an oscillating flat plate in an incompressible inviscid flow. Results highlight the stability and accuracy of the 4D STMA method.