Tutorial for XFoil

Download XFoil
--------------
Download XFoil from http://raphael.mit.edu/xfoil/ . It would be a good idea to
download the documentation for future reference as well.
Installing XFoil
----------------
Cop the downloaded file to the director where ou want to install XFoil and run
it.
!unning Xfoil
-------------
XFoil is executed b going to the director where it was installed and tping
" xfoil
#oading an $irfoil
------------------
The load or %$C$ command can used to load an airfoil into XFoil. In this tutorial
we will be using a %$C$ &'(& airfoil. To load this airfoil tpe
XF)I# c* %$C$ &'(&
%otice that XFoil will return some of the specifications for the airfoil+
including the location and magnitude of the maximum thic,ness+ maximum camber+
and other parameters.
Cleaning the $irfoil -eometr
-----------------------------
It is a good idea to ensure that the airfoil loaded does not contain panels that
create .er sharp edges. The /$%0 command in XFoil smoothes out the airfoil
geometr.
XF)I# c* pane
%)T0: The commands are not case sensiti.e
The )/0! 1ub-#e.el
------------------
Tpe
XF)I# c* )/0!
This will produce the prompt
.)/0!i c*
Tpe a 234 to see a list of a.ailable commands and a brief description of their
use. This wor,s on an le.el of XFoil.
In the )/0! le.el this is what ou will see after tping 235
6cr* !eturn to Top #e.el
7 !edo last $#F$+C#I+C#+$108+C108+90#1
9isc r Toggle In.iscid/9iscous mode
.9/$! Change :# parameter;s<
!e r Change !enolds number
=ach r Change =ach number
Tpe i Change tpe of =ach+!e .ariation with C#
IT0! Change .iscous-solution iteration limit
I%IT Toggle :# initiali>ation flag
$lfa r /rescribe alpha
C#I r /rescribe in.iscid C#
Cl r /rescribe C#
$1e? rrr /rescribe a se?uence of alphas
C1e? rrr /rescribe a se?uence of C#s
108/ Toggle polar/Cp;x< se?uence plot displa
CI%C Toggle minimum Cp inclusion in polar
@I%C Toggle hinge moment inclusion in polar
/acc i Toggle auto point accumulation to acti.e polar
/-0T f !ead new polar from sa.e file
/A!T i Arite polar to sa.e file
/1B= 1how summar of stored polars
/#I1 i #ist stored polar;s<
/D0# i Delete stored polar
/1)! i 1ort stored polar
//lo ii. /lot stored polar;s<
$/lo ii. /lot stored airfoil;s< for each polar
$10T i Cop stored airfoil into current airfoil
/!0= ir. !emo.e point;s< from stored polar
//$X Change polar plot axis limits
!-0T f !ead new reference polar from file
!D0# i Delete stored reference polar
-!ID Toggle Cp .s x grid o.erla
C!0F Toggle reference Cp data o.erla
F!0F Toggle reference C#+CD.. data displa
C/x /lot Cp .s x
C/9 /lot airfoil with pressure .ectors ;gee wi><
.9/lo :# .ariable plots
.$%%) $nnotate current plot
@$!D @ardcop current plot
1IC0 r Change plot-obDect si>e
C/=I r Change minimum Cp axis annotation
:# i /lot boundar laer .elocit profiles
:#C /lot boundar laer .elocit profiles at cursor
:#AT r Change .elocit profile scale weight
F=)= Calculate flap hinge moment and forces
F%0A rr 1et new flap hinge point
90#1 rr Calculate .elocit components at a point
DB=/ f )utput Be+Dstar+Theta+Cf .s s+x+ to file
C/A! f )utput x .s Cp to file
C/=% !eport minimum surface Cp
%$=0 s 1pecif new airfoil name
%I%C Increment name .ersion number
%otice that there are three columns+ the first is the command+ the second one
gi.es an indication of other inputs the command needs. $n 4 r 4 means that the
command expects a real number+ an 4 i 4 means that the command expects an
integer+ an 4 f 4 means that the command expects a filename+ and an 4 s 4 that
the command expects a string. If the input is not tped after the command XFoil
will prompt the user.
XFoil Bnder In.iscid =ode
-------------------------
%otice the 2i5 next to 2.)/0!5 on the prompt. This indicates that XFoil is in
in.iscid mode.
Tpe
.)/0!i c* alfa E
XFoil will find the flow around the airfoil for the gi.en angle of attac,+ in
this case+ E. %otice that a window pops up showing the pressure distribution+ the
section lift coefficient+ the section moment coefficient+ the angle of attac, and
the airfoil name.
Figure (. Cp Distribution at alpha F E
Tpe
.)/0!i c* cl E.G
XFoil will find the angle of attac, at which the current airfoil produces the
section lift coefficient that has been input. %otice that XFoil once again plots
the pressure distribution around the airfoil li,e it did pre.iousl.
Figure &. /ressure Distrubion at Cl F E.H
9iscous =ode
------------
Tpe
.)/0!i c* .isc
This command will turn on the .iscous mode. XFoil then prompts the user to input
a !enolds number. For this tutorial we will wor, with a low !enolds number+
tpe 2IeH4 at the prompt. %otice that a 2.5 will now appear next to 2)/0!5 in the
prompt to indicate .iscous flow.
To find the flow around the airfoil at an angle of attac, of >ero degrees tpe
.)/0!. c* alfa E
%otice that now there seem to be two pressure distributions. The dashed lines
represent the in.iscid flow distribution. This pro.ides an eas wa to compare
.iscous and in.iscid flow.

Figure I. 9iscous Flow $round an $irfoil
%otice also that the boundar laer is outlined around the airfoil. Furthermore+
the coefficient of drag and the lift-to-drag ratio are also presented.
If ou loo, at the command screen+ the last iteration also pro.ides more data
about the airfoil:
1ide ( free transition at x/c F E.J&G' 'H
1ide & free transition at x/c F E.IK'E IL
H rms: E.(I'K0-E' max: E.('H&0-EI C at IL &
a F E.EEE C# F E.&'&&
Cm F -E.EJ&G CD F E.EEJ'J F* CDf F E.EE'HH CDp F E.EEEGK
It pro.ides the point of transition to turbulent flow in the upper and lower
surfaces. It also pro.ides CDf and CDp+ the friction drag and pressure drag
respecti.el.
-etting a @ard Cop
-------------------
To get a cop in post script format of the displaed plot tpe
.)/0!. c* hard
$ cop will be produced on the XFoil director under the filename plot.ps. Mou
will not be able to open this file until ou exit XFoil. @owe.er+ an other files
that ou hardcop will be appended to the file plot.ps.
Changing the number of iterations
---------------------------------
Tpe
.)/0!. c* alfa (L
Mou will notice that XFoil does not con.erge. This is because it reached the
maximum number of iterations. There are two different things that can be done.
Tpe 275+ this command will tell XFoil to iterate some more. $s ou can see XFoil
will not con.erge e.en after ou do this once. Mou can ,eep tping 275 until
XFoil con.erges or ou can tr changing the maximum number of iterations. Tpe
.)/0!. c* iter
$ prompt will as, ou to enter the number of iterations+ tpe 2(EE5.
Then tpe
.)/0!. c* alfa (L
Mou will notice that XFoil will con.erge after about J' more iterations.
Changing the Cpmin
------------------
%otice that at an angle of attac, of (L degrees the minimum Cp is lower than -&+
the default Cpmin. Tpe
.)/0!. c* cpmn
This will displa the minimum Cp distribution
=inimum In.iscid Cp F-(G.&JK( at x F E.EEE'
=inimum 9iscous Cp F-(&.(ILG at x F E.EE(E
Tpe
.)/0!. c* cpmi -(L
To re-plot the Cp distribution tpe
.)/0!. c* cpx
The Cp distribution should now loo, li,e this:
Figure '. Flow $round an $irfoil at a @igh $lpha
1a.ing the Cp Distribution to a File
------------------------------------
Tpe
.)/0!. c* cpwr
Mou will be prompted to enter a filename. 0nter 2naca&'(&N(L.cp5. The file will
be sa.ed in text format and it is possible to use =$T#$: to anal>e the data.
!unning XFoil for a 1eries of $ngles of $ttac,
----------------------------------------------
Tpe
.)/0!. c* alfa E
Then
.)/0!. c* pacc
This will create a file to which the section lift coefficient+ the section drag
coefficient+ the upper and lower transition points and other data will be sa.ed.
This command also enables the auto point accumulation. Mou will be prompted to
enter a filename for the newl created polar file. Tpe 2naca&'(&.pol5. /ress
0nter when prompted for a polar dump filename.
%ow tpe
.)/0!.a c* ase? E &E .J
This command will run XFoil for a series of angles of attac,+ from E to &E
degrees at E.J degree increments.
Tpe
.)/0!.a c* pacc
This will turn off the point accumulation.
The file 2naca&'(&.pol5 will be in a text format and can be read b =$T#$:.
Changing the /oint of Transition to Turbulent Flow
--------------------------------------------------
Tpe
.)/0!. c* alfa E
The last iteration will loo, li,e this:
1ide ( free transition at x/c F E.J&G' 'H
1ide & free transition at x/c F E.IK'E IL
I rms: E.LLJ'0-E' max: E.(GIG0-E& C at IL &
a F E.EEE C# F E.&'&&
Cm F -E.EJ&G CD F E.EEJ'J F* CDf F E.EE'HH CDp F E.EEEGK
%otice on the command window that the point of transition of the upper surface
;1ide (< is at x/c F E.J&G'. #et force transition at x/c F E.(.
Tpe
.)/0!. c* .par
This command will mo.e ou into the 9/$! sub-le.el
Tpe
..9/$! c* xtr E.( (
This command will force transition at x/c F E.( for the upper surface and x/c F (
at the top surface ;which is the same as free transition<.
/ress enter to mo.e down to the )/0! sub-le.el.
Tpe
.)/0!. c* alfa E
The last iteration will now loo, li,e this:
1ide ( forced transition at x/c F E.(EEE &&
1ide & free transition at x/c F E.IL&' IG
I rms: E.H(HK0-EJ max: E.(IHK0-EI C at IG &
a F E.EEE C# F E.&&IL
Cm F -E.E'KK CD F E.EEGHI F* CDf F E.EEHIE CDp F E.EE(II
%otice that transition now occurs at x/c F E.( li,e expected. Mou can also see
the difference in the section drag coefficients.
8uitting XFoil
--------------
/ress enter until ou return to the top le.el+ then tpe
XF)I# c* ?uit