Validation of AcuSolve for

Aerodynamics of Lifting
Bodies


Goal is to validate AcuSolve for external aerodynamics

applications

NACA 0012 has been studied in depth both numerically and
experimentally

AcuSolve results will be compared against:

Accepted CFD simulations using other software

Available test data

References

http://turbmodels.larc.nasa.gov/naca0012_val.html

Ladson, C. L., "Effects of Independent Variation of Mach and
Reynolds Numbers on the Low-Speed Aerodynamic
Characteristics of the NACA 0012 Airfoil Section," NASA TM
4074, October 1988

Gregory, N. and O'Reilly, C. L., "Low-Speed Aerodynamic
Characteristics of NACA 0012 Aerofoil Sections, including the
Effects of Upper-Surface Roughness Simulation Hoar Frost,"
NASA R&M 3726, Jan 1970
2

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Simulation Conditions

NACA 0012 airfoil geometry

Blunt trailing edge

Re = 6.0e6

Incompressible flow

For compressible cases, M=.15

Angles of attack investigated:

-4 - 20

Fully turbulent

Results of interest

Lift coefficient

Drag coefficient

Pressure coefficient
3

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NACA 0012 airfoil geometry constructed using

acuBuildFoil (GONE script)

Chord = 1.0

Trailing edge thickness = .002*chord

Bounding cylinder diameter = 500*chord

Span = 50*chord (2-d flowfield simulation)

Surface tagging used to identify faces for boundary

condition application/meshing

Enables automated set-up of simulations

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Farfield

Airfoil Walls

Symmetry

Surface Name

Farfield

Symmetry
Airfoil Walls
5

Boundary Condition Description

Arbitrary inflow/outflow
If inflow: velocity = fixed
eddy viscosity = 1x molecular
If outflow: pressure=0.0
Symmetry constraints
No-slip walls

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All meshing performed using AcuMeshSim

Extrusion used to produce a single element in the span

Mesh growth rate = 1.2
Leading/trailing edge mesh size = .001*chord
Surface mesh size at center chord: .02*chord
Boundary layer first layer height = 1.75e-6*chord (Y+~=1.0 for Re=6.0e6,aoa=0)
Boundary layer growth rate 1.3
Boundary layer num layers = 28
Number of elements across trailing edge height = 8
Far field mesh size = 100,000*chord
Simple Region Of Influence used up to a distance of .5*chord

Base size = .02*chord

Perimeter edges of airfoil meshed using the following expression (assuming airfoil
centered at x=0):
sizeMin
sizeMax
xMin
xMax
xCenter
dx
fac
power
meshSize
6

= .001*chord
= .02*chord
= -.5*chord
= .5*chord
= (xMin+xMax)/2
= (xMax-xMin)/2
= (dx abs(x-xCenter))/dx
= ln(sizeMax/sizeMin)
= sizeMin*exp(power*fac)

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Total number of nodes = 97,635

Some optimization capability on model size, can be reduced

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Drag Coefficient vs. Angle of Attack

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Lift Coefficient vs. Angle of Attack

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Drag Coefficient vs. Lift Coefficient

10

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Pressure Coefficient alpha = 0

11

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Pressure Coefficient alpha = 10

12

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Pressure Coefficient alpha = 15

13

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AcuSolve results agree very well with both

experimental data and other simulations

AcuSolve simulations run on unstructured meshes

Extensive mesh sensitivity study performed to show that
AcuSolve SA results are within 2% of complete grid
convergence

14

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www.acusim.com