Validation of Numerical Analysis to Estimate Airfoil Aerodynamic Characteristics at Low Reynolds Number Region

In this study, two-dimensional laminar simulation (2-D Lam), two-dimensional Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes simulation with the Spalart-Allmaras turbulence model (2-D RANS(SA)), and implicit three-dimensional large-eddy simulation (3-D LES) are performed for NACA0012, NACA0006, and Ishii airfoils at Rec = 3.0 × 10⁴. The relation between a predictability of airfoil aerodynamic characteristics and a dependence of airfoil geometry shape of each numerical method is evaluated at the low Reynolds number. Although little discrepancy is observed for the lift coefficient predictability, significant differences are presented in terms of the separation and reattachment points predictability depending on the numerical methods. The 2-D Lam simulation can predict the lift coefficients as well as the separation and reattachment points qualitatively as similar to the 3-D LES results except for the high angle of attack which is accompanied by the massive separation. The 2-D RANS(SA), the weak nonlinearity and stall phenomena for the lift coefficients are observed. A good predictability of the separation point are shown, however, it cannot be estimated the reattachment points due to the trend to predict widely for the separation region. The predictabilities of each numerical method appear regardless of the airfoil shapes.