Aerodynamic Characteristics of NACA 0018 Based on CFD Method at Low Reynolds Number

Research Article
Open access

Aerodynamic Characteristics of NACA 0018 Based on CFD Method at Low Reynolds Number

Yue Wang 1* , Xiangyu Wen 2
  • 1 School of Metallurgy, Northeastern University of China, Shenyang, China    
  • 2 School of Engineering, Civil Aviation University of China, Tianjin, China    
  • *corresponding author 20223292@stu.neu.edu.cn
Published on 20 June 2025 | https://doi.org/10.54254/2755-2721/2025.24246
ACE Vol.168
ISSN (Print): 2755-273X
ISSN (Online): 2755-2721
ISBN (Print): 978-1-80590-205-8
ISBN (Online): 978-1-80590-206-5

Abstract

The aerodynamic properties of the airfoil are of great significance in improving the aerodynamic properties of the small fixed-wing UAV. This study demonstrates a numerical evaluation of the planar aerodynamic properties of a typical NACA 0018 airfoil at Reynolds numbers varying between 3×105 and 5×105 as well as angles of attack between 0° and 20°. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) flow simulation tool ANSYS Fluent, which is based on the limited volume approach, is used to perform the computation. Based on the continuity equation and Navier-Stokes control equation, the Spalart-Allmaras turbulence model is used for simulation. The research reveals the relationship between the pressure distribution, lift and drag ratio of the airfoil and the angle of attack at diverse Reynolds numbers and ultimately reaches the conclusion that NACA 0018’s best condition of aerodynamic properties is at the Reynolds number of 5×105 and under the angles of attack within 12°~14°. This analysis provides a basis for wing optimization design and can be widely used in aerospace and wind turbine design.

Keywords:

NACA0018, Lift, Drag, ANSYS, CFD, Spalart-Allmaras

Wang,Y.;Wen,X. (2025). Aerodynamic Characteristics of NACA 0018 Based on CFD Method at Low Reynolds Number. Applied and Computational Engineering,168,45-54.
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References

[1]. Jordan, B. R. (2019). Collecting field data in volcanic landscapes using small UAS (sUAS)/drones. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 385, 231–241.

[2]. Mammarella, M., & Capello, E. (2018). A Tube-based Robust MPC for a Fixed-wing UAV: an Application for Precision Farming. arXiv (Cornell University).

[3]. Jiang, J., Atkinson, P. M., Zhang, J., Lu, R., Zhou, Y., Cao, Q., Tian, Y., Zhu, Y., Cao, W., & Liu, X. (2022). Combining fixed-wing UAV multispectral imagery and machine learning to diagnose winter wheat nitrogen status at the farm scale. European Journal of Agronomy, 138, 126537. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2022.126537

[4]. Gopalakrishnan, R., Ramakrishnan, N. R. R., Dennis, B. P. R., & Kuzhanthai, A. S. L. (2021). Performance study and analysis of an UAV airfoil at a Low Reynolds number. In Smart innovation, systems and technologies (pp. 107–113).

[5]. Nakhchi, M., Naung, S. W., & Rahmati, M. (2021). High-resolution direct numerical simulations of flow structure and aerodynamic performance of wind turbine airfoil at wide range of Reynolds numbers. Energy, 225, 120261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2021.120261

[6]. Nakhchi, M., Naung, S. W., & Rahmati, M. (2021). High-resolution direct numerical simulations of flow structure and aerodynamic performance of wind turbine airfoil at wide range of Reynolds numbers. Energy, 225, 120261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2021.120261

[7]. Nakhchi, M., Naung, S. W., & Rahmati, M. (2021). High-resolution direct numerical simulations of flow structure and aerodynamic performance of wind turbine airfoil at wide range of Reynolds numbers. Energy, 225, 120261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2021.120261

[8]. Johnson, J. P., Iaccarino, G., Chen, K., & Khalighi, B. (2014). Simulations of high Reynolds number air flow over the NACA-0012 airfoil using the immersed boundary method. Journal of Fluids Engineering, 136(4). https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4026475

[9]. Brunner, C. E., Kiefer, J., Hansen, M. O. L., & Hultmark, M. (2021). Study of Reynolds number effects on the aerodynamics of a moderately thick airfoil using a high-pressure wind tunnel. Experiments in Fluids, 62(8). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-021-03267-8

[10]. He, W., Gioria, R. S., Pérez, J. M., & Theofilis, V. (2016). Linear instability of low Reynolds number massively separated flow around three NACA airfoils. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 811, 701–741. https://doi.org/10.1017/jfm.2016.778

[11]. Cary, A. W., Chawner, J., Duque, E. P., Gropp, W., Kleb, W. L., Kolonay, R. M., Nielsen, E., & Smith, B. (2021). CFD Vision 2030 Road Map: Progress and Perspectives. AIAA AVIATION 2021 FORUM. https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2021-2726

[12]. Shabur, A., Hasan, A., & Ali, M. (2020). Comparison of Aerodynamic Behaviour between NACA 0018 and NACA 0012 Airfoils at Low Reynolds Number Through CFD Analysis. Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research).

[13]. Loutun, M. J. T., Didane, D. H., Batcha, M. F. M., Abdullah, K., Ali, M. F. M., Mohammed, A. N., & Afolabi, L. O. (2021). 2D CFD simulation study on the performance of various NACA airfoils. CFD Letters, 13(4), 38–50. https://doi.org/10.37934/cfdl.13.4.3850

[14]. Spalart, P. R., & Garbaruk, A. V. (2020). Correction to the Spalart–Allmaras turbulence model, providing more accurate skin friction. AIAA Journal, 58(5), 1903–1905. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.j059489

[15]. Jacobs, E. N., & Sherman, A. (1937). Airfoil section characteristics as affected by variations of the Reynolds number. NACA Technical Report, 586(1), 227-267.

[16]. Timmer, W. (2008). Two-Dimensional Low-Reynolds Number wind tunnel results for Airfoil NACA 0018. Wind Engineering, 32(6), 525–537.

[17]. Hassan, G. E., Hassan, A., & Youssef, M. E. (2014). Numerical investigation of medium range re number aerodynamics characteristics for NACA0018 airfoil. CFD letters, 6(4), 175-187.


Cite this article

Wang,Y.;Wen,X. (2025). Aerodynamic Characteristics of NACA 0018 Based on CFD Method at Low Reynolds Number. Applied and Computational Engineering,168,45-54.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.

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About volume

Volume title: Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Materials Chemistry and Environmental Engineering

ISBN:978-1-80590-205-8(Print) / 978-1-80590-206-5(Online)
Editor:Harun CELIK
Conference website: https://2025.confmcee.org/
Conference date: 17 January 2025
Series: Applied and Computational Engineering
Volume number: Vol.168
ISSN:2755-2721(Print) / 2755-273X(Online)

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References

[1]. Jordan, B. R. (2019). Collecting field data in volcanic landscapes using small UAS (sUAS)/drones. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 385, 231–241.

[2]. Mammarella, M., & Capello, E. (2018). A Tube-based Robust MPC for a Fixed-wing UAV: an Application for Precision Farming. arXiv (Cornell University).

[3]. Jiang, J., Atkinson, P. M., Zhang, J., Lu, R., Zhou, Y., Cao, Q., Tian, Y., Zhu, Y., Cao, W., & Liu, X. (2022). Combining fixed-wing UAV multispectral imagery and machine learning to diagnose winter wheat nitrogen status at the farm scale. European Journal of Agronomy, 138, 126537. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2022.126537

[4]. Gopalakrishnan, R., Ramakrishnan, N. R. R., Dennis, B. P. R., & Kuzhanthai, A. S. L. (2021). Performance study and analysis of an UAV airfoil at a Low Reynolds number. In Smart innovation, systems and technologies (pp. 107–113).

[5]. Nakhchi, M., Naung, S. W., & Rahmati, M. (2021). High-resolution direct numerical simulations of flow structure and aerodynamic performance of wind turbine airfoil at wide range of Reynolds numbers. Energy, 225, 120261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2021.120261

[6]. Nakhchi, M., Naung, S. W., & Rahmati, M. (2021). High-resolution direct numerical simulations of flow structure and aerodynamic performance of wind turbine airfoil at wide range of Reynolds numbers. Energy, 225, 120261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2021.120261

[7]. Nakhchi, M., Naung, S. W., & Rahmati, M. (2021). High-resolution direct numerical simulations of flow structure and aerodynamic performance of wind turbine airfoil at wide range of Reynolds numbers. Energy, 225, 120261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2021.120261

[8]. Johnson, J. P., Iaccarino, G., Chen, K., & Khalighi, B. (2014). Simulations of high Reynolds number air flow over the NACA-0012 airfoil using the immersed boundary method. Journal of Fluids Engineering, 136(4). https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4026475

[9]. Brunner, C. E., Kiefer, J., Hansen, M. O. L., & Hultmark, M. (2021). Study of Reynolds number effects on the aerodynamics of a moderately thick airfoil using a high-pressure wind tunnel. Experiments in Fluids, 62(8). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-021-03267-8

[10]. He, W., Gioria, R. S., Pérez, J. M., & Theofilis, V. (2016). Linear instability of low Reynolds number massively separated flow around three NACA airfoils. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 811, 701–741. https://doi.org/10.1017/jfm.2016.778

[11]. Cary, A. W., Chawner, J., Duque, E. P., Gropp, W., Kleb, W. L., Kolonay, R. M., Nielsen, E., & Smith, B. (2021). CFD Vision 2030 Road Map: Progress and Perspectives. AIAA AVIATION 2021 FORUM. https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2021-2726

[12]. Shabur, A., Hasan, A., & Ali, M. (2020). Comparison of Aerodynamic Behaviour between NACA 0018 and NACA 0012 Airfoils at Low Reynolds Number Through CFD Analysis. Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research).

[13]. Loutun, M. J. T., Didane, D. H., Batcha, M. F. M., Abdullah, K., Ali, M. F. M., Mohammed, A. N., & Afolabi, L. O. (2021). 2D CFD simulation study on the performance of various NACA airfoils. CFD Letters, 13(4), 38–50. https://doi.org/10.37934/cfdl.13.4.3850

[14]. Spalart, P. R., & Garbaruk, A. V. (2020). Correction to the Spalart–Allmaras turbulence model, providing more accurate skin friction. AIAA Journal, 58(5), 1903–1905. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.j059489

[15]. Jacobs, E. N., & Sherman, A. (1937). Airfoil section characteristics as affected by variations of the Reynolds number. NACA Technical Report, 586(1), 227-267.

[16]. Timmer, W. (2008). Two-Dimensional Low-Reynolds Number wind tunnel results for Airfoil NACA 0018. Wind Engineering, 32(6), 525–537.

[17]. Hassan, G. E., Hassan, A., & Youssef, M. E. (2014). Numerical investigation of medium range re number aerodynamics characteristics for NACA0018 airfoil. CFD letters, 6(4), 175-187.