Wing profile comparison
Profiles are chosen from a catalogue, but the catalogue does not say what happens at your Reynolds number and your angles.
The decision
Which of these two profiles gives the better lift to drag ratio across the angles it will actually work at.
Setting it up
- Model the profile as a finite wing, or run it between end planes to take the tip effect out
- Run at the same speed across several angles of attack
- Use the same mesh density and the same turbulence model for both profiles
What you see
- Pressure distribution and the suction peak
- The angle at which separation starts
- CL and CD against angle
The awkward part
Catching the separation point is sensitive to the turbulence model. If Spalart-Allmaras and SST disagree, that is not a bug, it is the limit of the model; check against validated data before making a critical decision.
The limit
This is a design-stage tool. Use it to compare shapes against each other and to catch obvious mistakes. For a number that goes to certification, approval or a signature, take the chosen shape to a validated solver or a wind tunnel.
Other analyses
Try it with your own file
Free during the beta. Request a key by e-mail and install it on a Mac running macOS 14 or later on Apple Silicon.
Get a beta key