The International journal of analytical and experimental modal analysis ISSN NO:0886-9367

Numerical Analysis of NACA0012

using CFD
Ankitkumar Patel1, Rakshitkumar Thakor2
1,2
Department of Aeronautical Engineering, 1,2Parul University
ankitkumar.patel@paruluniversity.ac.in
rakshit.thakor270112@paruluniversity.ac.in

Abstract: - This investigation explores analysis of conventional airfoil NACA0012

using CFD. Two-dimensional, steady, low Reynolds number flow over airfoil have
been investigated by solving continuity and Naiver-stokes equation using
ANSYS(Fluent). Flow parameters i.e coefficient of lift and drag has been calculated
for constant velocity of 30m/s with altered angles of attack. To show the behavior of
airfoil at given boundary conditions K-ω SST turbulent model has been used as it is
suitable for capturing flow behavior at near boundary zones. Results showed, the
value of (CL/CD) increases with increase in angle of attack and after a certain value of
angle of attack it decreases drastically. The angle at which (CL/CD) has maximum
value is the critical angle of attack is 16° after which airfoil showed stalling condition.

Keywords: NACA0012, CL(Coefficient of lift), CD(Coefficient of drag), Angle of attack,

Stall condition.

1. INTRODUCTION

An Airfoil is the shape of wing, blade of a propeller, rotor, or turbine, or sail as seen in
cross-section to generate aerodynamic force. The main aim of airfoil is that increase lift
coefficient and decrease drag coefficient when exposed to a moving fluid. The pressure
distribution on the pressure side or the lower surface of the airfoil is favorable, and the
pressure distribution on the suction side or the upper surface is favorable near the leading-
edge region and becomes adverse on the downstream part of the airfoil. At low Reynolds
numbers and at small angles of attack, the flow remains laminar near the leading edge and
separates due to the strong adverse pressure gradient that exists near the leading-edge
region. The separated region grows downstream and forms a strong shear layer. This shear
layer becomes unstable and breaks down into a turbulent state. Current study involves
numerical analysis of NACA0012 using CFD fluent. Eleni at al. have extensively studied
the behavior of NACA0012 for different angles of attack for different turbulent models.
[1]The study showed, K- ω SST two equation turbulent model as the most appropriate

model.[1]The maximum value of CL occurs at angle of attack 16 ֠ after which airfoil showed
stall condition.
Raval et al has studied the aerodynamic behavior of NACA0012 for various angles of
attack keeping the velocity constant.[2] For constant increasing angle of attack the
coefficient of lift was found to be increasing up to the angle 18.4° and then it decreases.
Sogukpinar has investigated the aerodynamic properties of modified NACA0012 airfoil for

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different angles of attack using COSMOL[3]. Modified NACA0012 gives good agreement
with the experimental data up to angle of attack -5 to 16.0

Figure 1 [3]. CL vs. Angle of attack

Sahu and imam has explored the behavior of NACA0012 airfoil when it is subjected to
transonic flow using CFD and compared it with experimental data. [4]It is observed that on
increasing angle of attack the lift coefficient linearly increases and starts converging at 16+֠
angle of attack after 16 degree the static pressure at top of the surface increases ultimately
reduce lift and increases drag.

2. TURBULENT MODEL

The turbulent kinetic energy and rate of turbulence of KE is solved by k-ω turbulent
model. This model has good convergence rate compared to other models and requires low
memory computers. Though this model is suitable for bluff and streamlined body, different
analysis needs to be done for different geometric models. The specific rate of dissipation of
kinetic energy is solved by k-Ɛ turbulent models. This model requires higher memory
computers for the computation.
K- ω model includes two additional transport equations to represent turbulent properties
of flow to account for effects of flow near the boundary of the object. The transport
variable K determines the energy and scale of turbulence. ω accounts for intensity of
turbulence. This model is very suitable for low Reynolds number applications without extra
source.

3. MATHEMATICAL MODEL

The very first stage of numerical method includes mathematical model which is the set
of partial or integral equations and boundary conditions. These equations are based on
continuity and momentum equations.

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A. Geometry coordinates

The conventional airfoil NACA0012 was built up in design modeler using ANSYS17.1.
The geometry nodes were taken from four digit generator.

Figure 2. NACA0012 Airfoil Geometry

B. Mesh
The modelling and meshing of the airfoil has been done using ANSYS 17.1.
Table1. Design Parameters

Design Parameters

Airfoil Type NACA0012

Chord 1m

Thickness 0.12 m

Turbulent Model K- ω SST

Number of Nodes 70156
Number of Elements 139254
Inlet Velocity 30 m/s
Angle of Attack 0,3,5,8,11,13,16,18

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Figure 3. Mesh (Enclosure)

Figure 4. Mesh (Airfoil)

4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The coefficients of lift and drag were estimated using ANSYS fluent. Table 2 represents the
values of coefficients of lift and drag with different angle of attack.

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Table 2. Output parameters

Angle of CL CD
Attack
0 0.00164 0.008251
3 0.297747 0.010426
5 0.489538 0.014355
8 0.75223 0.024069
10 0.946879 0.033646
12 1.072225 0.043426
14 1.117322 0.052673
16 1.190093 0.073116
18 0.923632 0.053935

Figure 5. CL Vs Angle of Attack

Figure 5 shows, coefficient of lift is linearly increasing with increase in angle of attack
and the maximum value of lift coefficient occurs at 16° angle of attack. Similarly for 0
drag value it is increasing with angle of attack up to 16° after that it increases
dramatically with increase in angle of attack.

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Figure 6. CD Vs Angle of Attack

Figure 6 shows, Coefficient of drag is gradually increasing with increase in angle of attack
up to 15+° after that it showed dramatic behavior with increase in angle of attack.

Figure 7. Pressure profile at 0° AOA

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Figure 8. Velocity profile at 0° AOA

Figure 9. Pressure profile at 15° AOA

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Figure 10. Velocity profile at 15° AOA

Figure 11. Pressure profile at 18° AOA

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Figure 12. Velocity profile at 18° AOA

Figure 7 shows the pressure profile over the airfoil at zero degree angle of attack. It
indicates that at 0° the pressure distribution over the pressure side and suction side is
similar as the airfoil is having zero camber. Hence, at 0° angle of attack value of lift is
almost zero. As NACA0012 is a symmetric airfoil the velocity distribution over both the
sides of airfoil is same as shown in Figure8.
At 15+° angle of attack there is large pressure as well as velocity difference over suction
and pressure side of airfoil leads to large value of lift coefficient as shown in Figure 9 and
Figure 10.
As shown in Figure 11 and Figure 12 at 18° angle of attack the flow starts detaching the
surface of airfoil called as flow separation phenomenon. Results, the flow becomes fully
turbulent. Hence, coefficient of lift decreases and drag increases called as stalling of the
airfoil.

5. CONCLUSION

It is worth noting that the process of calculating the transition point is simple in case of
zero degree angle of attack as the flow is symmetric so the point remains same at above and
below the airfoil. At non zero angles of attack it is more complicated to predict the flow
parameters as the transition points are different at above and below the airfoil.
At 18° angle of attack it can be seen that the flow becomes fully turbulent and airfoil is
not more producing lift at 18° angle of attack.

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REFERENCES
1. Evaluation of the turbulence models for the simulation of the flow over a National
Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) 0012 airfoil. Douvi C. Eleni*, Tsavalos I.
Athanasios and Margaris P. Dionissios. Journal of Mechanical Engineering Research-
2012(ISSN 2141-2383)
2. CFD Analysis of NACA0012 Aerofoil and Evaluation of Stall Condition Nipun P Raval,
Mehta Malay, Lalani Jitesh. International Journal of Engineering Technology Science
and Research, April-2017 (ISSN 2394-3386)
3. The effects of NACA 0012 airfoil modification on aerodynamic performance
improvement and obtaining high lift coefficient and post-stall airfoil. Haci Sogukpinar
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5025955.
4. Analysis of Transonic Flow over an Airfoil NACA0012 using CFD. Novel Kumar
Sahu1, Mr.Shadab Imam2. International Journal of Innovative Science, Engineering &
Technology-2015 (ISSN 2348-7968)
5. Lift and drag performance of naca0012 airfoil at various angle of attack using CFD.
Gandhi mallela1, Pallavi paturu2 & M. Komaleswarao3,International Journal of
Mechanical and Production Engineering Research and Development-2018 (ISSN 2249-
6890)

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