XFOIL

About: XFOIL is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 368 publications have been published within this topic receiving 7426 citations.

XFOIL: An Analysis and Design System for Low Reynolds Number Airfoils

Abstract: Calculation procedures for viscous/inviscid analysis and mixed-inverse design of subcritical airfoils are presented. An inviscid linear-vorticity panel method with a Karman-Tsien compressiblity correction is developed for direct and mixed-inverse modes. Source distributions superimposed on the airfoil and wake permit modeling of viscous layer influence on the potential flow. A two-equation lagged dissipation integral method is used to represent the viscous layers. Both laminar and turbulent layers are treated, with an e 9-type amplification formulation determinining the transition point. The boundary layer and transition equations are solved simultaneously with the inviscid flowfield by a global Newton method. The procedure is especially suitable for rapid analysis of low Reynolds number airfoil flows with transitional separation bubbles. Surface pressure distributions and entire polars are calculated and compared with experimental data. Design procedure examples are also presented.

Viscous-inviscid analysis of transonic and low Reynolds number airfoils

Abstract: A method of accurately calculating transonic and low Reynolds number airfoil flows, implemented in the viscous-inviscid design/analysis code ISES, is presented. The Euler equations are discretized on a conservative streamline grid and are strongly coupled to a two-equation integral boundary-layer formulation, using the displacement thickness concept. A transition prediction formulation of the e type is derived and incorporated into the viscous formulation. The entire discrete equation set, including the viscous and transition formulations, is solved as a fully coupled nonlinear system by a global Newton method. This is a rapid and reliable method for dealing with strong viscous-inviscid interactions, which invariably occur in transonic and low Reynolds number airfoil flows. The results presented demonstrate the ability of the ISES code to predict transitioning separation bubbles and their associated losses. The rapid airfoil performance degradation with decreasing Reynolds number is thus accurately predicted. Also presented is a transonic airfoil calculation involving shock-induced separation, showing the robustness of the global Newton solution procedure. Good agreement with experiment is obtained, further demonstrating the performance of the present integral boundary-layer formulation.

Summary of the Delft University Wind Turbine Dedicated Airfoils

Abstract: This paper gives an overview of the design and wind tunnel test results of the wind turbine dedicated airfoils developed by Delft University of Technology (DUT). The DU-airfoils range in maximum relative thickness from 15% to 40% chord. The first designs were made with XFOIL. Since 1995 RFOIL was used, a modified version of XFOIL, featuring an improved prediction around the maximum lift coefficient and capabilities of predicting the effect of rotation on airfoil characteristics. The measured effect of Gurney flaps, trailing edge wedges, vortex generators and trip wires on the airfoil characteristics of various DU-airfoils is presented. Furthermore, a relation between the thickness of the airfoil leading edge and the angle-of-attack for leading edge separation is given.Copyright © 2003 by Delft University of Technology

Wind turbine airfoil catalogue

Abstract: The aim of this work is two-sided. Firstly, experimental results obtained for numerous sets of airfoil measurements (mainly intended for wind turbine applications) are collected and compared with computational results from the 2D Navier-Stokes solver EllipSys2D, as well as results from the panel method code XFOIL. Secondly, we are interested in validating the code EllipSys2D and finding out for which air-foils it does not perform well compared to the experiments, as well as why, when it does so. The airfoils are classified according to the agreement between the numerical results and experimental data. A study correlating the available data and this classification is performed. It is found that transition modelling is to a large extent responsible for the poor quality of the computational results for most of the considered airfoils. The transition model mechanism that leads to these discrepancies is identified. Some advices are given for elaborating future airfoil design processes that would involve the numerical code EllipSys2D in particular, and transition modelling in general. (au)