Thin Airfoil Theory NACA 64209

UCK 419E

NACA 64209 Analysis

By
Enes Sağnak 110200063

Course given by:

Melike Nikbay

Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics

Aeronautics Engineering
CONTENTS

1 Introduction 2

2 Thin Airfoil Theory 3

2.1 Distrubution of vortex .................................................................................................. 3
2.2 Thin cambered airfoil .................................................................................................. 3

3 Calculations with MATLAB 5

3.1 Moment and Zero angle cl values................................................................................. 6

4 RESULT and DISCUSSION 7

5 APPENDIX 8
5.1 Chamber Line ............................................................................................................ 8
5.2 Thin Airfoil Theory Code.............................................................................................. 10
5.3 Values ....................................................................................................................... 14

6 REFERENCES 19

1
1. INTRODUCTION

The thin airfoil theory, developed by Max Munk, is a practical method for analyzing the aerodynamics
of 2D airfoils under inviscid, incompressible flow conditions, typically with small angles of attack. This
theory neglects thickness effects and assumes a potential flow model with a vortex sheet, incorporating
the Kutta condition at the trailing edge to determine lift and moment. In this study focusing on the NACA
64209 airfoil, the airfoil shape is generated using an online tool, and the mean camber line is derived
through curve fitting techniques. Utilizing MATLAB, the thin airfoil algorithm is applied using the obtained
camber line to analytically compute lift and moment coefficients. The calculated values are then compared
against experimental data to assess the theory’s accuracy. Results indicate bad agreement between
theory and experiment at low angles of attack, but discrepancies emerge as the angle of attack increases,
particularly beyond the critical angle of attack.

2
2. THIN AIRFOIL THEORY

Thin airfoil theory simplifies the aerodynamics of airfoils with small thickness by approximating their shape
with the mean chamber line. It relies on potential flow assumptions and Kutta’s Theorem to calculate
lift and moment. For very thin airfoils, where thickness is much smaller than chord length (t << c),
circulation is assumed to be concentrated along the chamber line. However, if the airfoil has minimal
camber, circulation is distributed continuously along the chord line. The vortex strength per unit length is
denoted by γ = γ(x), with the Kutta condition satisfied at the trailing edge γ(θ) = 0).

2.1. DISTRUBUTION OF VORTEX

The fundamental governing equation of Thin Airfoil Theory relates the circulation induced by the flow at a
certain point on the airfoil to the slope of the airfoil surface. Initially, it’s assumed that the flow velocity’s
normal component to the airfoil and the normal velocity component induced by the vortex sheet cancel
each other out, resulting in zero normal velocity along the streamline.

Z 2π
1 γ(ϵ)sin(θ)dθ
= V∞ (a − dz/dx) (2.1)
2π 0 (cos(θ) − cos(θ0 )

2.2. THIN CAMBERED AIRFOIL

For a thin cambered airfoil, determining the distribution of circulation along the chord line is more complex
than for a symmetric airfoil with dz/dx = 0 solution. The strength of the vortex sheet can be expanded in
the form of a Fourier series. By employing Glauert’s integrals and trigonometric series, the coefficients of
the Fourier series are found. The total circulation on the airfoil is then given by an expression involving
these coefficients.

∞
cosθ + 1 X
γ(θ) = 2V∞ (A0 + An sin(nθ) (2.2)
sinθ n=1

By employing Glauert’s integrals and trigonometric series, the coefficients of the Fourier series are
found.

Z π
1 dz
A0 = α − dθ0 (2.3)
π 0 dx

Z π
2 dz
An = cosnθ0 dθ0 (2.4)
pi 0 dx

3
Enes SAĞNAK UCK304E Homework1

The total circulation on the airfoil is then given by an expression involving these coefficients.

π
Γ = cV∞ (0 + A1 ) (2.5)
2

The lift per span of the airfoil can be calculated using the Kutta-Joukowski theorem. This lift force
leads to the computation of the lift coefficient per unit span.

L′ = ρ∞ Γ(2.6)

L′ = ρ2∞ c(0 + π2 A1 )

With lift force, an important unitless aerodynamic variable, lift coefficient per unit span can be computed
as,

L′
cl =
1/2ρ2∞ c(1)(2.7)

= ρ2∞ c(0 + π2 A1 )

Z π
1 dz
= 2π[α + (cos(θ − 0 − 1)dθ0 ]
π 0 dx

zero lift angle of attack can be written by given statements as,

Z π
1 dz
αL=0 = − (cosθ0 − 1)dθ0 (2.8)
π 0 dx

Additionally, the zero lift angle of attack and the moment coefficient per unit span around the
aerodynamic center are derived. The theory concludes that the lift slope for a cambered airfoil is 2π, the
lift coefficient is a function of the angle of attack and mean chamber line, and the moment coefficient
around the aerodynamic center depends only on the shape of the airfoil.

π
cm,c/4 = (A2 − A1 ) (2.9)
4

In summary, Thin Airfoil Theory provides a simplified approach to analyze the aerodynamics of thin
airfoils, considering both symmetric and cambered profiles. By approximating the airfoil shape with the
mean chamber line, it employs potential flow assumptions and Kutta’s Theorem to compute lift and
moment. For cambered airfoils, the distribution of circulation along the chord line is derived using Fourier
series and Glauert’s integrals.

4
3. CALCULATIONS WITH MATLAB

First, the airfoil profile is read from a data file. This data contains the x and y coordinates that constitute
the profile. Subsequently, the upper and lower profile data are separated, and an average camber line is
computed. The average camber line is obtained by fitting a fourth-degree polynomial curve. As a result of
this fitting, the geometric structure of the camber line is analyzed.

Figure 3.1: Camber Line

Next, the parameters necessary for aerodynamic analysis are calculated. Based on the camber line,
aerodynamic coefficients associated with the profile are computed. Utilizing potential flow and boundary
layer theories, the interaction between potential and boundary layer flows over the profile is investigated.

Mean chamber line and differential it in terms of chord length of are given with,

yc  x 4  x 3  x 2 x
= −7.82 × 10−4 + 1.06 × 10−3 − 3.21 × 10−3 − 1.28 × 10−3 + 1.04 × 10−2
dx c c c c

Also, necessary Fourier coefficients are calculated with ’Symbolic Math Toolbox’ as,

A0 = 0.005479

A1 = 0.00308397664148364

A2 = −0.000187343972241078

5
Enes SAĞNAK UCK304E Homework1

A3 = 0.00000977057840011946

A4,...,n = 0

Then, strength of vortex sheet per unit length along the camber line at zero angle of attack is found as,

cos(θ) + 1
γ(θ) = 2V∞ ( (α + 0.0054) + 0.00308sin(3θ) + 0.00018sin(2θ) + 0.00000977sin(θ)
sin(θ

Figure 3.2: Vorticity along line

3.1. MOMENT AND ZERO ANGLE CL VALUES

At zero angle of attack, the value of γ(θ) is provided in Figure 3.2.The zero lift angle of attack (αL = 0)
and the pitching moment coefficient around the aerodynamic center (Cm,c/4 ) are determined as follows:

αL=0 = −0.0058°

cm,c/4 = −0.0026

6
4. RESULT AND DISCUSSION

The calculated and reported CL values are shown below.

Figure 4.1: Cl values

Significant differences between calculated CL values and experimental data suggest various
contributing factors. One possible explanation is the incomplete coverage of coordinate points in the
model, despite attempts to rectify this issue through various methods. Despite employing multiple
approaches, accurate fitting of the model remains elusive due to this incomplete representation. The
selection of the model and its alignment with the data are crucial determinants of result accuracy and only
50 data points can be found for this airfoil. Therefore, addressing these issues is imperative for improving
the reliability of the outcomes.

7
5. APPENDIX

5.1. CHAMBER LINE

% Verileri oku
data = [
1.00000 0.00000
0.95011 0.00543
0.90021 0.01128
0.85030 0.01742
0.80035 0.02360
0.75036 0.02964
0.70035 0.03533
0.65030 0.04056
0.60022 0.04523
0.55012 0.04921
0.50000 0.05239
0.44986 0.05459
0.39971 0.05561
0.34956 0.05509
0.29941 0.05345
0.24927 0.05064
0.19915 0.04663
0.14905 0.04127
0.09899 0.03413
0.07398 0.02965
0.04901 0.02423
0.02411 0.01716
0.01172 0.01232
0.00680 0.00959
0.00438 0.00786
0.00000 0.00000
0.00000 0.00000

8
Enes SAĞNAK UCK304E Homework1

0.00562 -0.00686
0.00820 -0.00819
0.01328 -0.01108
0.02589 -0.01334
0.05099 -0.01791
0.07602 -0.02117
0.10101 -0.02379
0.15095 -0.02781
0.20085 -0.03071
0.25073 -0.03274
0.30059 -0.03401
0.35044 -0.03449
0.40029 -0.03419
0.45014 -0.03269
0.50000 -0.03033
0.54988 -0.02731
0.59978 -0.02381
0.64970 -0.01996
0.69965 -0.01589
0.74964 -0.01174
0.79965 -0.00768
0.84970 -0.00396
0.89979 -0.00094
0.94989 -0.00089
1.00000 0.00000
];

% Verileri ayır
data1 = data(1:26,:);
data2 = data(27:end,:);

% Her bir veri kümesi için dördüncü dereceden eğri uydur

p1 = polyfit(data1(:,1), data1(:,2), 4);
p2 = polyfit(data2(:,1), data2(:,2), 4);

% 0,0 ve 1,1 noktalarından geçen eğrileri bul

p1_new = polyfit([0; data1(:,1); 1], [0; data1(:,2); 0], 4);
p2_new = polyfit([0; data2(:,1); 1], [0; data2(:,2); 0], 4);

9
Enes SAĞNAK UCK304E Homework1

% Ortalama veri kümesi için dördüncü dereceden eğri uydur

p_avg = polyfit(data1(:,1), (data1(:,2) + data2(:,2)) / 2, 4);

% Sonuçları çizdir
x = linspace(0, 1, 1000);
y1 = polyval(p1_new, x);
y2 = polyval(p2_new, x);
y_avg = polyval(p_avg, x);

figure;
plot(data1(:,1), data1(:,2), ’ro’, data2(:,1), data2(:,2), ’bo’, x, y1, ’r-’, x, y2, ’b-’, x, y_avg,
legend(’Data Set 1’, ’Data Set 2’, ’Curve Fit 1’, ’Curve Fit 2’, ’Average Curve Fit’);
xlabel(’X’);
ylabel(’Y’);
title(’Fourth Degree Curve Fitting’);
grid on;

5.2. THIN AIRFOIL THEORY CODE

% Temizle, ekranı temizle ve tüm figürleri kapat

clear; clc; close all;

% Verileri tanımla
data = [
1.00000 0.00000
0.95011 0.00543
0.90021 0.01128
0.85030 0.01742
0.80035 0.02360
0.75036 0.02964
0.70035 0.03533
0.65030 0.04056
0.60022 0.04523
0.55012 0.04921
0.50000 0.05239
0.44986 0.05459
0.39971 0.05561
0.34956 0.05509
0.29941 0.05345

10
Enes SAĞNAK UCK304E Homework1

0.24927 0.05064
0.19915 0.04663
0.14905 0.04127
0.09899 0.03413
0.07398 0.02965
0.04901 0.02423
0.02411 0.01716
0.01172 0.01232
0.00680 0.00959
0.00438 0.00786
0.00000 0.00000
0.00000 0.00000
0.00562 -0.00686
0.00820 -0.00819
0.01328 -0.01108
0.02589 -0.01334
0.05099 -0.01791
0.07602 -0.02117
0.10101 -0.02379
0.15095 -0.02781
0.20085 -0.03071
0.25073 -0.03274
0.30059 -0.03401
0.35044 -0.03449
0.40029 -0.03419
0.45014 -0.03269
0.50000 -0.03033
0.54988 -0.02731
0.59978 -0.02381
0.64970 -0.01996
0.69965 -0.01589
0.74964 -0.01174
0.79965 -0.00768
0.84970 -0.00396
0.89979 -0.00094
0.94989 -0.00089
1.00000 0.00000
];

11
Enes SAĞNAK UCK304E Homework1

% Verileri ikiye ayır

data1 = data(1:26,:);
data2 = data(27:end,:);

% Ortalama y değerlerini hesapla

avg_y = (data1(:,2) + data2(:,2)) / 2;

% Doğrusal uyum işlemini yap ve sonuçları al

[fitresult, gof] = createFit(data1(:,1), avg_y);
coeff = coeffvalues(fitresult);

% Gerekli sembolleri tanımla

syms x theta

% Chamber Line fonksiyonunu tanımla

CLx(x) = coeff(1) * x^4 + coeff(2) * x^3 + coeff(3) * x^2 ...
+ coeff(4) * x + coeff(5);

dCLx(x) = diff(CLx);

% Koordinat dönüşümü
dyc_dx = dCLx((1 - cos(theta)) / 2);

% Başlangıç değerlerini tanımla

AoA = double(0);
A0 = AoA - double(1/pi * int(dyc_dx,theta,0,pi));
sum = 0;

% Vortex Sheet gücünü hesapla

for i = 1:3
An(i,1) = double(2/pi * int(dyc_dx * cos(i * theta), theta,0, pi));
sum = sum + (An(i,1) * sin(i * theta));
end

SoV_2V(theta) = (A0 * (1+cos(theta)) / (sin(theta))) + sum;

% Vortex Sheet’in uzunluğuna göre gücünü grafiğe dök

figure(2)
fplot(SoV_2V,[0 pi])

12
Enes SAĞNAK UCK304E Homework1

ax=gca;
ax.XGrid = ’on’;
ax.YGrid = ’on’;
ax.YLim = [-0.005 0.03];
ax.XLim = [0 pi];
ax.XTick = [0 pi/4 pi/2 3*pi/4 pi];
ax.XTickLabel = ["0", "0.25", "0.5", "0.75", "1"];

xlabel(’x/c’,’FontSize’,11,’Interpreter’,’latex’);
ylabel(’$\frac{\gamma(\theta)}{2V_{\infty}}$’,’FontSize’,15,...
’Interpreter’,’latex’,...
’VerticalAlignment’,’middle’,...
’Rotation’,0);
title(’$\gamma(\theta)$ along the camber line’, ’Interpreter’,’Latex’)

% Sıfır kaldırma açısı ve aero merkez etrafındaki moment katsayısını hesapla

AoA_L0 = double(- 1/pi * int(dyc_dx*(cos(theta) - 1),theta,0,pi));
cm_ac = pi/4 * (An(2,1) - An(1,1));

% Kaldırma katsayısını hesapla

cl = @(AoA) 2 * pi * (AoA - rad2deg(AoA_L0));

function [fitresult, gof] = createFit(Chamber_points_x, Chamber_points_y)

%CREATEFIT(CHAMBER_POINTS_X,CHAMBER_POINTS_Y)
% Verilerle uyum oluşturur.
%
% Veriler için ’Chamber_Line’ uyumu:
% X Giriş : Chamber_points_x
% Y Çıkış: Chamber_points_y
% Çıkış:
% fitresult : uyumu temsil eden bir uyum nesnesi.
% gof : iyi uyum bilgisi içeren bir yapı.
%
% Daha fazlası için FIT, CFIT, SFIT’e bakın.

% MATLAB tarafından 02-Ara-2022 12:04:17 tarihinde otomatik olarak oluşturulmuştur.

%% Uyum: ’Chamber_Line’.

13
Enes SAĞNAK UCK304E Homework1

[xData, yData] = prepareCurveData( Chamber_points_x, Chamber_points_y );

% Fit türünü ve seçeneklerini belirle.

ft = fittype( ’poly4’ );
opts = fitoptions( ’Method’, ’LinearLeastSquares’ );
opts.Normalize = ’on’;
opts.Robust = ’Bisquare’;

% Verilere uygun modeli belirle.

[fitresult, gof] = fit( xData, yData, ft, opts );

% Uyumu verilerle birlikte grafiğe çiz.

figure( ’Name’, ’Chamber_Line’ );
plot( fitresult, xData, yData );

xlabel( ’x/c’, ’Interpreter’, ’latex’ );

ylabel( ’y/c’, ’Interpreter’, ’latex’ );

ax=gca;
ax.YLim = [0 0.05];
ax.XLim = [0 1];
ax.XTick = [0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1];

legend(’Chamber’,’Chamber Line with Curve Fitting’,’Interpreter’,’Latex’)

grid on
end

5.3. VALUES

% Verileri tanımla
re3 = [
-6 -0.54
-5 -0.44
-4 -0.3
-3 -0.14
-2 -0.05
-1 0.05
0 0.15

14
Enes SAĞNAK UCK304E Homework1

1 0.28
2 0.36
3 0.52
4 0.61
5 0.704
6 0.8
7 0.894
8 1
9 1.104
10 1.2
11 1.26
12 0.95
13 0.87
14 0.82
];

re6 = [
-6 -0.54
-5 -0.44
-4 -0.3
-3 -0.14
-2 -0.05
-1 0.05
0 0.152
1 0.284
2 0.364
3 0.522
4 0.614
5 0.704
6 0.8
7 0.8944
8 1
9 1.107
10 1.2
11 1.262
12 1.321
13 1.04
14 0.9
];

15
Enes SAĞNAK UCK304E Homework1

re9 = [
-6 -0.54
-5 -0.44
-4 -0.3
-3 -0.14
-2 -0.05
-1 0.05
0 0.1504
1 0.28
2 0.3606
3 0.52
4 0.6104
5 0.704
6 0.8
7 0.894
8 1
9 1.104
10 1.203
11 1.26
12 1.32
13 1.41
14 1.1
];

thin=[
-6 1.434655259
-5 1.54431753
-4 1.653979802
-3 1.763642073
-2 1.873304344
-1 1.982966615
0 2.092628886
1 2.202291157
2 2.311953428
3 2.421615699
4 2.53127797
5 2.640940242
6 2.750602513

16
Enes SAĞNAK UCK304E Homework1

7 2.860264784
8 2.969927055
9 3.079589326
10 3.189251597
11 3.298913868
12 3.408576139
13 3.518238411
14 3.627900682
];

% x değerlerini düzenle
x = (-6:14)’;

% Fit işlemi (4. dereceden)

p_re3 = polyfit(re3(:,1), re3(:,2), 4);
fit_re3 = polyval(p_re3, x);

p_re6 = polyfit(re6(:,1), re6(:,2), 4);

fit_re6 = polyval(p_re6, x);

p_re9 = polyfit(re9(:,1), re9(:,2), 4);

fit_re9 = polyval(p_re9, x);

% Grafik çizimi
figure;
hold on;

% Fit çizgileri
plot(x, fit_re3, ’-o’, ’MarkerSize’, 8);
plot(x, fit_re6, ’-s’, ’MarkerSize’, 8);
plot(x, fit_re9, ’-hexagram’, ’MarkerSize’, 8);
plot(thin(:,1), thin(:,2), ’k--’); % ’k--’ siyah renkli kesikli çizgi

% Tablo için fit katsayıları

fit_coefficients = [p_re3; p_re6; p_re9];

% Tablo çıktısı
disp("Fit Katsayıları:");

17
Enes SAĞNAK UCK304E Homework1

disp(fit_coefficients);

% Grafik ayarları
xlabel(’AoA’);
ylabel(’Cl’);
title(’Cl Values of NACA 64209’);
legend(’Re= 3x10^6’, ’Re=6x10^6’, ’Re=9x10^6’,"Thin Theory");
grid on;

hold off;

18
6. REFERENCES

von Doenhoff, Albert E., and Frank T. Abbott, Jr. The Langley "Two-Dimensional Low-Turbulence
Pressure Tunnel". Technical No. 1283. National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, May 1947.

Dash, Ankan. "CFD Analysis of Wind Turbine Airfoil at Various Angles of Attack." School of Mechanical
Engineering, KIIT University, India, Jul.-Aug. 2016.

19