Assessment of Flow Dynamics of a 5-Digit Series Airfoil with Variable Aerodynamic Parameters

An airfoil is the cross-sectional shape of a wing, blade, or sail, designed to generate aerodynamic forces as it moves through the air. When interacting with airflow, an airfoil generates lift and drag forces. To standardize airfoil design, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) developed various airfoil families, with extensive studies focused primarily on the 4-digit series. However, limited attention has been given to the aerodynamic behaviour of the 5-digit series. This study assesses the aerodynamic performance of the NACA 23012, a 5-digit airfoil, under varying Reynolds numbers and angles of attack to establish its suitability for high performance wind turbind. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations were conducted at angles of attack (AoA) of 8°, 12°, 16°, 20°, and 24°, with Reynolds numbers of 3.0×106, 6.0×106, and 8.8×106. The objective was to identify the conditions that yield optimal performance in terms of lift-to-drag ratio (L/D), coefficient of lift (CL), and coefficient of drag (CD). Results showed an increase in lift with increasing AoA up to a critical range between 12° and 16°, beyond which flow separation and stall effects reduced aerodynamic efficiency. The optimal performance was observed at an 8° angle of attack and Reynolds number of 8.8×106, where a high lift coefficient and relatively low drag resulted in a favourable lift-to-drag ratio. A linear regression analysis revealed an insignificant variation between CFD results and standard experimental values, validating the simulation accuracy. These findings provide valuable insights for blade design aimed at enhancing aerodynamic efficiency in wind turbines, ultimately improving torque generation, power output, and overall system performance.