Numerical simulation of Airflow Properties of the NACA 6420 Airfoil Using the Transition RANS k-ε Model

Authors

Oluwaseyi O. ALABI, Department of Mechanical Engineering Lead City University, Ibadan, NigeriaFollow
Saidat A. SALISU, Department of Mechanical Engineering Lead City University, Ibadan, Nigeria
Oyeyemi T. AFOROLAGBA -BALOGUN, Department of Mechanical Engineering Lead City University, Ibadan, Nigeria
Temitope A. LADIGBOLU, Department of Mechanical Engineering Lead City University, Ibadan, Nigeria
Ayotunde O. FASINA, Department of Mechanical Engineering Lead City University, Ibadan, Nigeria
Anas BALA, Department of Mechanical Engineering Nigerian Army University Biu, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigates the airflow properties around the airfoil using numerical simulation, addressing the longstanding challenge of accurately predicting transition phenomena in turbulent flows. The importance of this research lies in its potential to improve the design and performance of airfoils in various engineering applications, such as wind turbines, and aircraft. A custom 2-dimensional airfoil model was created using Airfoil instruments, featuring a 6% maximum curvature, 40% curvature position, and 20% thickness. COMSOL Multiphysics software performed computations at a velocity of over 19 hours, with data analyzed at 60-minute intervals. The Transition turbulent model was employed to simulate the airflow properties, including pressure distribution, velocity profiles, and turbulence intensity. The numerical results were validated against experimental data, demonstrating excellent agreement. The key findings reveal that the Transition model accurately captures the laminar-turbulent transition and predicts the airflow properties with high accuracy. The results also show that the airfoil's performance is significantly affected by the Reynolds number and angle of attack. This study contributes to the existing literature by providing a comprehensive understanding of the airflow properties around the airfoil using advanced numerical simulation techniques. The novelty of this work lies in its application of the Transition model to airfoil simulations, which has not been extensively explored in previous studies. The findings of this research have important implications for the design and optimization of airfoils in various engineering applications.

Recommended Citation

ALABI, Oluwaseyi O.; SALISU, Saidat A.; AFOROLAGBA -BALOGUN, Oyeyemi T.; LADIGBOLU, Temitope A.; FASINA, Ayotunde O.; and BALA, Anas (2025) "Numerical simulation of Airflow Properties of the NACA 6420 Airfoil Using the Transition RANS k-ε Model," Al-Bahir Journal for Engineering and Pure Sciences: Vol. 6: Iss. 1, Article 8.
Available at: https://doi.org/10.55810/2313-0083.1087

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