Flow Simulation of Naca-0017 Airfoil Using Solidworks

Flow Simulation of Naca-0017 Airfoil Using Solidworks

Aim:- To perform flow simulation on Naca-0017 Airfoil to calculate drag force and Airlift force.

Theory:-

Airfoil is a structure designed to obtain reaction upon its surface from the air through which it moves or that moves past such a structure. Air acts in various ways when submitted to different pressures and velocities; but this discussion is confined to the parts of an aircraft that a pilot is most concerned with in flight—namely, the airfoils designed to produce lift. By looking at a typical airfoil profile, such as the cross section of a wing, one can see several obvious characteristics of design. [Figure 4-5] Notice that there is a difference in the curvatures (called cambers) of the upper and lower surfaces of the airfoil. The camber of the upper surface is more pronounced than that of the lower surface, which is usually somewhat flat.

Different airfoils have different flight characteristics. Many thousands of airfoils have been tested in wind tunnels and in actual flight, but no one airfoil has been found that satisfies every flight requirement. The weight, speed, and purpose of each aircraft dictate the shape of its airfoil. The most efficient airfoil for producing the greatest lift is one that has a concave or “scooped out” lower surface. As a fixed design, this type of airfoil sacrifices too much speed while producing lift and is not suitable for high-speed flight. Advancements in engineering have made it possible for today’s high-speed jets to take advantage of the concave airfoil’s high lift characteristics. Leading edge (Kreuger) flaps and trailing edge (Fowler) flaps, when extended from the basic wing structure, literally change the airfoil shape into the classic concave form, thereby generating much greater lift during slow flight conditions.

On the other hand, an airfoil that is perfectly streamlined and offers little wind resistance sometimes does not have enough lifting power to take the airplane off the ground. Thus, modern airplanes have airfoils that strike a medium between extremes in design. The shape varies according to the needs of the airplane for which it is designed.

Objective:-

To perform flow simulation of airfoil at different attack angle and compare lift and drag force for air as medium.

Naca-0017 file download link:- https://drive.google.com/file/d/12ZIqEQ5SuVYwODgf_EIo3Q8A_N1a8mcP/view

Steps:-

1. Download the Naca-0017 airfoil data file from the above link.
2. Go to solidworks and click on insert in menubar and select curve (XYZ Points)
3. Browse the downloaded file.
4. A curve will be formed then select front plane sketch and click on convert entities.
5. Then zoom and join the curve ends which are open with line tool and click on move entities then select rotate entities
6. Select the curve and line and rotate along the origin by specifying angle in degrees repeat this steps for 2,4,6,8,10 degrees respectively.
7. Extrude the sketch and click on flow simulation wizard
8. In wizard select external flow and also time dependent. Then select air as medium.
9. Then give velocity of X-axis as 600m/s.
10. Add glob goals and surface goal as force in X and Y direction and Frictinal force in X and Y direction
11. Change the computational domain to 2D and change its size manually.
12. Run the simulation
13. After completion make velocity and pressure cut plots.

Airfoil curve:-

At 0 degree

At 2 degree

At 4 degree

At 6 degree

At 8 degree

At 10 degree

Plots:-

Cut plot for Velocity at attack angle 0 degree

Cut plot for Pressure at attack angle 0 degree

Drag Force Plot at 0 degree

Lift Force Plot at 0 degree

Cut plot for Velocity at attack angle 2 degree

Cut plot for Pressure at attack angle 2 degree

Drag Force Plot at 2 degree

Lift Force at 2 degree

Cut plot for Velocity at attack angle 4 degree

Cut plot for Pressure at attack angle 4 degree

Drag Force at 4 degree

Lift Force at 4 degree

Cut plot for Velocity at attack angle 6 degree

Cut plot for Pressure at attack angle 6 degree

Drag Force Plot 6 degree

Lift Force Plot at 6 degree

Cut plot for Velocity at attack angle 8 degree

Cut plot for Pressure at attack angle 8 degree

Drag Force Plot at 8 degree

Lift Force Plot of 8 degree

Cut plot for Velocity at attack angle 10 degree

Cut plot for Pressure at attack angle 10 degree

Drag Force Plot at 10 degree

Lift Force Plot at 10 degree

Comparison Between Drag Force and Lift Force:-

Data

Plot

Conclusion:-

From the above plot it can be concluded that drag froce First increases suddenly till a certain point and then decrease slightly and then remains constant. Where in lift force increases suddenly then decrease slightly and again start increasing gradually.