Aerodynamic Performance of NACA 662-015 Airfoil with Gurney Flap

Abstract

A numerical simulation was executed by using of ANSYS Fluent to demonstrate the effect of a Gurney flap (GF) on a National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) 662-015 airfoil. The GFs are remarkable aerodynamic elements that show how a small modification to an airfoil’s trailing edge can have a significant impact on performance, making them a valuable tool in the pursuit of enhanced efficiency and control in various applications with increased downforce and minimal drag penalty. The height of the flap was varied from 1% of the chord up to 3% of the chord of the airfoil, with 0.5% incremental steps. The increase in lift obtained and the subsequent penalty of increased drag were quantified in terms of percentage increase compared to the clean airfoil. As a result, the lift-to-drag ratio was found to be a net positive, with the most significant increase at a 2.5% GF height-to-chord ratio. Along with the lift augmentation, the impact of the GF on the zero-lift angle of attack, lift slope, and stall angle was investigated. Furthermore the alteration of the Kutta condition as a result of installing the GF on the airfoil. The improved aerodynamic effectiveness of airfoils using GFs is mostly observed in the motorsports and aviation sectors.

Keywords

• Reynolds number
• GF
• Lift augmentation
• Drag reduction
• Lift drag ratio