Flow over an airfoil

Aim: To perform the air flow simulation over an Airfoil.

Introduction & Basic Theory:

An Airfoil is a cross-sectional shape of a wing, blade or sail. An Airfoil shaped body moving through a fluid produces an aerodynamic force. The component of this force perpendicular to the direction of motion is called lift and the component parallel to the direction of motion is called drag. The airfoil can be designed to be placed with a certain set of attack angle to manoeuvre during the flight.

A flow simulation is basically the analysis of a fluid (including both liquid and gas) flowing through a pipe or over a surface. By performing the same we can analyse the flow behaviour over or within the pipe in our case. Using this data we can find out the velocity or force generated or other required data to make the flow as per requirement. Also we can see the flow for laminar or turbulant force. Thus using these data we can design the surface for aerodynamics or pipe inside surface for a better life and better performance. These data are very usefull while designing the wings of a plane or blades of a turbine.

In our setup we are going to do the flow simulation over an airfoil for different angles of attack.

Explanation & Report:

1. Firstly we will download the airfoil NACA 0017 from the airfoil data set from the provided link
2. Then we will convert the downloaded txt file to the excel seperating the columns to get the three rows X, Y & Z
3. Once that is done we will save the file in txt prm so that it can be extracted in the solidworks to get the NAC 0017 airfoil
4. Then using that sketch we will draw our airfoil profile and extrude it to some thickness
5. Further we will go to the flow simulation and run a new wizard to perform the external simulation
6. Than after we will provide the fluid that we are going to use for our dimulation which is air in our case
7. Further after providing the velov=city anf the time frame we can hit the finish tab
8. Than we can set the computational domain so that our flow simulation is well equiped in the domain
9. Further we are going to set some goals as per our requirement and than after we will set some surface mesh so that we can have more cells or domains along the surface of our airfoil whic is in the direct contact or air
10. Than after we will hit the run button to start the calculations. Once the calculation starts we will just open up the plots and gols profile to see the changes beings generated.
11. Once we see that the plot is turning out to be steady we can just hit the stop button and come to the flow simulation tab.
12. Further in the results section we will generate a cut plain and will plot the velocity on it.
13. To get a smotther plot or change in gradient we can just increase the number of
14. Further in the results section we can go to goals options to see the further gats for the goals that we had earlier set for the goals

Results:

As we are going to simulate the NACA 0017 airfoil for different attack angle of 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10

Thus we will run the simulations for all these 6 situationa and see the rsults obtained

Case 1: The result for the attack angle of 0 degree

Case 2: For the attack angle of 2 degree

Case 3: For the attack angle of 4 degrees

case 4: For the attack angle of 6 Degrees

case 5: For attack angle of 8 Degrees

Case 6: For attack angle of 10 degrees

From the above plots we can see taht for the initial lower angle of attack the velocity beneath the airflow and above the airflow is almost same but as we increase the angle of attack we can see that the velocity of air below the airfoil increases which creates the lift to the airflow allowing it to flot.