EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY OF MADRID

ENGINEERING SCHOOL

BACHELORS DEGREE ON AEROSPACE ENGENEERING

FINAL REPORT

AIRFOIL PROJECT
ANALYSIS OF NACA 4421 AIRFOIL

Bosco Campomanes Varela

Pablo Villanova Tamayo

Raphael Rubiano Vasco

Carlos Sansó Ajo

Marcos Benedi

YEAR 2013-2014
2
Analysis of NACA 4421 Airfoil
RRV – PVT – BCV – CSA – MB

ABSTRACT
Nowadays the interest in aerospace vehicles development is growing and driving the need
for an improved understanding of the relevant aerodynamics. A reasonable starting point is the
study of airfoil section aerodynamics.

Performance of several geometry characteristics of two-dimensional airfoils are study

using different fluid analysis software to know its general effects. Variations in the thickness,
camber, and leading/trailing edge shape are considered.

An analysis of NACA 4421 were being held the results obtained the results obtained show
how pressure distribution, lift-to-drag ratio and velocity magnitude of fluid change with the
Reynolds selected and the different angles of attack in our case 0, 5, 10 and 15 degrees were
evaluated.

3
Analysis of NACA 4421 Airfoil
RRV – PVT – BCV – CSA – MB

CONTENTS
ABSTRACT............................................................................................................................ 3
1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 5
1.1 Project objectives .................................................................................................. 5
2 BASIC CONCEPTS ....................................................................................................... 5
2.1 Lift .......................................................................................................................... 5
2.2 Drag ....................................................................................................................... 6
3 ANALYSIS NACA 4421 ................................................................................................ 7
3.1 Theoretical results of NACA 4421 ......................................................................... 7
3.2 Experimental results with ANSYS Workbench fluid flow software. ...................... 8
3.2.1 Velocity Magnitude ....................................................................................... 9
3.2.2 Velocity Vector ............................................................................................ 10
3.2.3 Absolute Pressure........................................................................................ 12
3.2.4 Pressure Distribution ................................................................................... 14
4 CONCLUSIONS ......................................................................................................... 17
5 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................ 17

4
Analysis of NACA 4421 Airfoil
RRV – PVT – BCV – CSA – MB

1 INTRODUCTION
The analysis performed under this study are intended to provide theoretical predictions
for comparison with experimental measurements.

The first step in airfoil analysis is choosing a method that has the proper balance of fidelity
and speed for the given application.

These range from linear methods, concerned with solving velocity potential equation, to
more complicated methods that involved solving the Euler (inviscid) or Navier-stokes (viscous)
equations at various points on and around the airfoil to determine the nature of the flow.

1.1 Project objectives

The main objective of this project is to evaluate the NACA 4421 airfoil with artificial
compressibility methods offering a straightforward and efficient means of preconditioning to
allow for the solution of an incompressible homogenous flow field.

The analyses make use of three assumptions about the flow field. The flow is
incompressible by the formulation of the flow solver, the flow is fully laminar, and the flow field
is steady.

2 BASIC CONCEPTS
2.1 Lift

An airfoil develops lift at positive angles of attack through lower pressures over the top of
the airfoil compared to pressures under the airfoil.

The lift and drag coefficients are strongly dependent on angle of attack and less
dependent on Reynolds number.

Reynolds number effects are particularly important in the region of maximum lift
coefficient just prior to stall.

The lift force can be found from the lift coefficient, CL, in the following way:

1
𝐿 = 𝜌𝐴𝑉 2 𝐶𝑙
2

Where ρ is the density of the fluid through which the airfoil moves, A is the area equal to
the span times the mean chord of the airfoil, V is the undisturbed flow speed, CL is the lift
coefficient, and L is the lift force.

5
Analysis of NACA 4421 Airfoil
RRV – PVT – BCV – CSA – MB

The lift coefficient then expresses the ratio of the lift force to the force produced by the
dynamic pressure times the area.

 Relation between angle of attack and Cl is generally linear at moderate angles.

 Cl increases as angle of attack increases smoothly until a maximum value is reached
(Cl max).
 After that maximum value is reached, the airfoil is said to be stalled.

Also, the lift to drag ratio is often of interest to the designer since it represents a kind of
aerodynamic efficiency-the most economical cruising condition for an airplane is determined
from the point of maximum lift to drag ratio.

Delivering that lift with lower drag leads directly to:

 Better fuel economy.

 Climb performance.
 Glide ratio.

2.2 Drag

The force on an object that resists its motion through a fluid is called drag. When the fluid
is a gas like air, it is called aerodynamic drag. When the fluid is a liquid like water it is called
hydrodynamic drag.

Fluids are characterized by their ability to flow. In somewhat technical language, a fluid is
any material that can't resist a shear force for any appreciable length of time. This makes them
hard to hold but easy to pour, stir, and spread.

Drag depends on the density of the air, the square of the velocity, the air's viscosity and
compressibility, the size and shape of the body, and the body's inclination to the flow. In general,
the dependence on body shape, inclination, air viscosity, and compressibility is very complex.

1
𝐷 = 𝜌𝐴𝑉 2 𝐶𝑑
2

6
Analysis of NACA 4421 Airfoil
RRV – PVT – BCV – CSA – MB

The drag coefficient then expresses the ratio of the drag force to the force produced by
the dynamic pressure times the area. The drag coefficient contains not only the complex
dependencies of object shape and inclination, but also the effects of air viscosity and
compressibility.

3 ANALYSIS NACA 4421

3.1 Theoretical results of NACA 4421

Cl/Cd ratio on the four digit airfoil NACA 4421.

The curve represents the ratio of the lift coefficient to the drag coefficient of NACA 4421.
The rapid decline of the Cl/Cd ratio for high angles of attack is clear.

7
Analysis of NACA 4421 Airfoil
RRV – PVT – BCV – CSA – MB

Lift and drag coefficients against angle of attack for a NACA 4421 airfoil. As the angle of
attack exceeds about 20 degrees, the lift drops off while the drag begins to increase, so that
understanding the rapid decline but smoothly decreasing of the drag-to-lift ratio.

A higher ratio is typically one of the major goals in aircraft design.

3.2 Experimental results with ANSYS Workbench fluid flow software.

The analysis were made for different angles of attack at a velocity of 50 m/s, assuming
the three assumptions mentioned before: incompressible flow, laminar flow and steady state.

8
Analysis of NACA 4421 Airfoil
RRV – PVT – BCV – CSA – MB

3.2.1 Velocity Magnitude

Figure 1. Velocity Magnitude at 0º

In the upper image we can see that a zero degrees, since the airfoil NACA 4421 is almost
symmetrical, the lift produced is very low but there still exist life as we can see the velocity
distribution is higher in the upper wall.

Figure 2. Velocity Magnitude at 5º

9
Analysis of NACA 4421 Airfoil
RRV – PVT – BCV – CSA – MB

Figure 3. Velocity Magnitude at 10º

Figure 4. Velocity Magnitude at 15º

Velocity distribution is growing faster at the leading edge while decreasing at the trailing
edge, where we can see that it has been produced separation of the fluid an so that vortex are
being generated.

3.2.2 Velocity Vector

With the velocity vector we can see the direction of the fluid, combining with the color of
the velocity distribution magnitude for better understanding.

10
Analysis of NACA 4421 Airfoil
RRV – PVT – BCV – CSA – MB

In all below images we can see at the leading edge and their nearest the stagnation point
through concentration of vectors and low velocity. Also at the trailing edge in blue we see the
reduction of the fluid velocity and the change in the direction due to the layer separation.

Figure 5. Velocity Vector at 0º

Figure 6. Velocity Vector at 5º

11
Analysis of NACA 4421 Airfoil
RRV – PVT – BCV – CSA – MB

Figure 7. Velocity Vector at 10º

Figure 8. Velocity Vector at 15º

3.2.3 Absolute Pressure

The absolute pressure is inverse to the velocity magnitude, it is due in simple words for
the Bernoulli theorem it means when the velocity increases the pressure drops and when the
velocity decreases the pressure increase.

12
Analysis of NACA 4421 Airfoil
RRV – PVT – BCV – CSA – MB

Figure 9. Absolute Pressure at 0º

Figure 10. Absolute Pressure at 5º

13
Analysis of NACA 4421 Airfoil
RRV – PVT – BCV – CSA – MB

Figure 11. Absolute Pressure at 10º

Figure 12. Absolute Pressure at 15º

3.2.4 Pressure Distribution

In the below images we can see how the absolute pressure is being distributed along the
entire airfoil length.

We can see that there is always lower pressure in the upper wall of the airfoils so that
generating always lift for the angles of attack study in this project.

14
Analysis of NACA 4421 Airfoil
RRV – PVT – BCV – CSA – MB

Also, as the angle of attack increases the magnitude of the pressure is being reduce until
the angle where better performances are achieved in this case and according with theoretical
results is at an angle of attack of 20 degrees, from this point pressure will increase in the upper
face and the stall will be produce.

Figure 13. Pressure Distribution at 0º

Figure 14. Pressure Distribution at 5º

15
Analysis of NACA 4421 Airfoil
RRV – PVT – BCV – CSA – MB

Figure 15. Pressure Distribution at 10º

Figure 16. Pressure Distribution at 15º

16
Analysis of NACA 4421 Airfoil
RRV – PVT – BCV – CSA – MB

4 CONCLUSIONS
 NACA 4421 airfoil tends to progressive and gradual movement of separation from
trailing edge toward leading edge as the angle is increased (Trailing Edge Stall).

 Trailing edge stall shows gradual bending-over of lift curve at maximum lift, “soft
stall”.

 Maximum lift coefficient, Cl max.

o Effective airfoil shape produces high value of Cl max.
o Stalling speed of aircraft (take-off, landing).
o Improved maneuverability (turn radius, turn rate).

As more information and data on this report have been obtained by computational fluid
dynamics, future efforts should focus on obtaining a complete range of experimental data that
will confirm the results.

5 REFERENCES
References used in this report:

1. Juan P. Murcia, Alvaro Pinilla. CFD Analysis of Blunt Trailing Edge Airfoils. 2009.

2. Dam, K. J. Standish and C. P. Van. Experimental Research on Blunt Trailing Edge Airfoils.
2003.

3. Drag and Lift coefficient. The Engineering Toolbox. [En línea]

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/drag-coefficient-d_627.html.

4. Heffley, David. Baylor. [En línea] January de 2007.

http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php/41147.pdf.

17