Abstract

A precise numerical simulation of low Reynolds number flow over an airfoil requires proper
modeling and interpretation of transition physics. In the present study, a computational effort has
been made, using commercial available CFD code ANSYS Fluent, towards understanding the
flow behavior about an airfoil at low Reynolds number, using menter's ϒ-mmReθ model. The
present work is a part of ongoing research on the flow over thick airfoil, generally used as base
airfoil for small HAWT blade. An experimental analysis of the thick airfoil has to be carried out
in a subsonic wind tunnel at a wind speed of 1000m/s, 1005m/s, 2230m/s and 257789m/s with a
corresponding chord Reynolds number of 614, 916, 1248 and 1530. Therefore, prior to
experiment, a numerical simulation is carried out over the given range of Reynolds number. The
simulation result shows that as the angle of attack is increased, regardless of Re, the point of
separation advances towards the leading edge. However at any given angle of attack, the flow
separation delays with increase in Reynolds number. The simulation results also predicts the
formation of separation bubble at all given Reynolds number range however, with increase in
angle of attack, the separation bubble was found to contract in size.