What is it about?
This study presents an experimental and numerical investigation on the boundary layer transition characteristics of the NLF(1)-0416 airfoil. The experiments are conducted in the large-scale subsonic wind tunnel of METU Center for Wind Energy Research (RUZGEM) using a 2D airfoil test model with 0.9 m chord and 2.5 m span. The experimental work includes Infrared Thermography (IRT) measurements for the transition location, while the numerical study is based on the 2D RANS simulations using two different CFD solvers with different turbulence and transition models as well as XFOIL predictions. The current IRT measurement results are consistent with previous transition measurement data from the NASA LTPT. All measurement results from METU and from NASA are compared to the numerical predictions obtained using SU2 and Ansys Fluent simulations.
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Why is it important?
Accurately predicting airflow transition from laminar to turbulent is key to improving aerodynamic performance in aviation and wind energy. Using infrared thermography (IRT), this research provides a non-intrusive method for detecting transition, offering an alternative to traditional techniques. Comparing experimental data with CFD simulations (SU2, ANSYS Fluent) helps improve computational models, making aerodynamic predictions more reliable. Determining the exact location of the transition is crucial, especially for airfoil aerodynamics, as it influences the flow behavior and affects the key aerodynamic performance characteristics such as lift, drag, and lift-to-drag ratio.
Perspectives
It's been great fun to get this new experimental dataset and compare with the data obtained at NASA 45 years ago. Seeing the two datasets match very well was very satisfying, although the two datasets are taken 45 years apart at completely different wind tunnels and using different measurement techniques. These two datasets will constitute a solid benchmark test case that can be used to advance the prediction capability of CFD solvers.
Oguz Uzol
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Boundary Layer Transition Measurements on NLF(1)-0416 Airfoil Using Infrared Thermography and Comparisons With 2D RANS Predictions, January 2025, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA),
DOI: 10.2514/6.2025-0026.
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