Numerical Investigation of Hydrodynamic Performance of a Symmetric Aerofoil in Openwater

Author: Shahan Malek Usham, Fida Mashfiha, Md. Mezbah Uddin
DOI: doi.org/10.70279/bmj-v8-1037
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Symmetric aerofoils are crucial components in marine and aerospace engineering, particularly in applications like ship rudders and submarine fins. This study presents numerical investigation of hydrodynamic characteristics of a 2D symmetric aerofoil (NACA 0012) surface for a series of different angle of attacks (0° - 20°) with various combinations of flow velocities in open water. The pressure distribution and lift-drag characteristics at the mentioned angle of attacks for ideal ship speed 3 m/s to 8 m/s has been accounted based on CFD simulations. Simulations were performed using ANSYS Fluent with Spalart-Almaras turbulence model and numerical validation was performed with NASA’s experimental data for the same aerofoil. The results indicated that the maximum lift-to-drag ratio occurred at an 8 m/s flow speed and a stall angle of 17.5°. The analysis of pressure distributions indicated within each tested velocity that there were considerable changes experienced over the chord length, particularly in higher flow speed conditions. The findings provide essential insight for design and optimization of marine applications i.e., ship rudder, submarine fins etc. highlighting potential for improved efficiency and maneuverability in ships