Airfoil

About: Airfoil is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 24696 publications have been published within this topic receiving 337709 citations. The topic is also known as: aerofoil & wing section.

Desirable Airfoil Features for Smaller-Capacity Straight-Bladed VAWT:

Abstract: In the small scale wind turbine market, the simple straight-bladed Darrieus type vertical axis wind turbine (SB-VAWT) is very attractive for its simple blade design. A detailed aerodynamic performance analysis was conducted on a smaller capacity fixed-pitch SB-VAWT. Brief analyses of the main aerodynamic challenges of this type of wind turbine were first discussed and subsequently the authors conducted further literature survey and computational analysis to shortlist aerodynamic characteristics of a desirable airfoil for a self-starting and better performing SB-VAWT. The required geometric features of the desirable airfoil to achieve the short listed characteristics were also discussed. It has been found out that conventionally used NACA symmetric airfoils are not suitable for smaller capacity SB-VAWT. Rather, it is advantageous to utilize a high-lift and low-drag asymmetric thick airfoil suitable for low speed operation typically encountered by SB-VAWT.

Two-Dimensional Unsteady Leading-Edge Separation on a Pitching Airfoil

Abstract: The initial stages of two-dimension al unsteady leading-edge boundary-layer separation of laminar subsonic flow over a pitching NACA-0012 airfoil have been studied numerically at Reynolds number (based on airfoil chord length) Rec = 104, Mach number Mx = 0.2, and nondimensional pitch rate H£ = 0.2. Computations have been performed using two separate algorithms for the compressible laminar Navier-Stokes equations. The first method, denoted the structured grid algorithm, utilizes a structured, boundary-fitted C grid and employs the implicit approximate-factorization algorithm of Beam and Warming. The second method, denoted the unstructured grid algorithm, utilizes an unstructured grid of triangles and employs the flux-difference splitting method of Roe and a discrete representation of Gauss' theorem for the in viscid and viscous terms, respectively. Both algorithms are second-order accurate in space and time and have been extensively validated through comparison with analytical and previous numerical results for a variety of problems. The results show the emergence of a primary clockwise-rotating recirculating region near the leading edge which can be traced to a pair of critical points (a center and a saddle) that appear within the flowfield, followed by a secondary counterclockwise-rotating recirculating region and a tertiary clockwise-rotating recirculating region. The primary and secondary recirculating regions interact with each other to give rise to the unsteady separation ("breakaway") of the boundary layer.

Steady and unsteady transonic flow

Abstract: An investigation of the transonic flow over a circular arc airfoil was conducted to obtain basic information for turbulence modeling of shock-induced separated flows and to verify numerical computer codes which are being developed to simulate such flows. The investigation included the employment of a laser velocimeter to obtain data concerning the mean velocity, the shear stress, and the turbulent kinetic energy profiles in the flowfield downstream of the airfoil midchord where the flow features are more complex. Depending on the free-stream Mach number, the flowfield developed was either steady with shock-wave-induced separation extending from the foot of the shock wave to beyond the trailing edge or unsteady with a periodic motion also undergoing shock-induced separation. The experimental data were compared with the results of numerical simulations in which a computer code was employed that solved the time-dependent Reynolds' averaged compressible Navier-Stokes equations.