Analysis of the Aerodynamic Characteristics of Wing Profiles

Abstract

Aerodynamics is a fundamental field that studies the laws governing fluid motion, particularly air, around solid objects. Its critical applications span multiple industrial and scientific sectors - from optimizing performance in aircraft, automobiles and wind turbines to designing energy-efficient buildings. The objective of this work is to compare the aerodynamic performance of three wing profiles using a numerical simulation solving the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations. Turbulence is modeled with the SST k-ω model, and computations are performed in two dimensions for an incompressible fluid under steady-state conditions. Pressure and velocity fields around the profiles were evaluated for different angles of attack and different velocities. Similarly, key parameters characterizing the aerodynamic performance of the profiles such as lift and drag coefficientswere determined. The results show that theNACA 23012 profile performs better than the NACA 0012 profile at angles of attack between 0° and 15° due to its more streamlined shape, while the NACA 63-430 profile exhibits superior performance at higher angles of attack (20°) owing to its camber. Increased flow velocity results in higher lift coefficients and reduced drag coefficients