Aerodynamic characteristics of low Reynolds number airfoils

Assessment of airfoil aerodynamic characteristics is essential part of any optimal airfoil design procedure. This paper illustrates rapid and efficient method for determination of aerodynamic characteristics of an airfoil, which is based on viscous-inviscid interaction. Inviscid flow is solved by co...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Mostafa Abobaker, Zlatko Petrović, Vasko Fotev, Noureddine Toumi, Ivana Ivanović
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Slavonski Brod, Faculty of Electrical Engineering in Osijek, Faculty of Civil Engineering in Osijek 2017-01-01
Series:Tehnički Vjesnik
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hrcak.srce.hr/file/257842
Description
Summary:Assessment of airfoil aerodynamic characteristics is essential part of any optimal airfoil design procedure. This paper illustrates rapid and efficient method for determination of aerodynamic characteristics of an airfoil, which is based on viscous-inviscid interaction. Inviscid flow is solved by conformal mapping, while viscous effects are determined by solving integral boundary layer equations. Displacement thickness is iteratively added to the airfoil contour by alternating inviscid and viscous solutions. With this approach efficient method is developed for airfoil design by shape perturbations. The procedure is implemented in computer code, and calculation results are compared with results of XFOIL calculations and with experiment. Eppler E387 low Reynolds number airfoil and soft stall S8036 airfoil are used for verification of developed procedure for Reynolds numbers 200000, 350000, and 500000. Calculated drag polars are presented in this paper and good agreement with experiment is achieved as long as small separation is maintained. Calculated positions of laminar separation, reattachment, and turbulent separation closely follow experimental measurement. The calculations are performed in relatively short time, which makes this approach suitable for low Reynolds number airfoil design.
ISSN:1330-3651
1848-6339