Numerical Simulation of NACA 0012 Airfoil Operating under Hailstorm Conditions

Dimitra C. Douvi, Eleni C. Douvi, Dionysios K. Plessas, Dionissios P. Margaris

aerodynamic performance, airfoil, CFD code, hailstorm.

The current paper refers to the computational study of the aerodynamic behavior of NACA 0012 airfoil operating at Reynolds numbers of Re=1×10⁶ and Re=1.76×10⁶ during a hailstorm. The numerical simulations were succeeded using a commercial Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Code in air phase flow as well as in hailstorm conditions, at various angles of attack on the realizable k–ε turbulence model, which cooperates well with the Discrete Phase Model (DPM) by the help of which is succeeded the injection of raindrops and hailstones. The obtained numerical values of the aerodynamic coefficients were validated by comparing them with reliable experimental data, and it was found that hailstorm has negative impact on the aerodynamic performance of the airfoil. Next, the region around the airfoil was studied using contours of static pressure and contours of the concentration of raindrops and hailstones around the airfoil, and the wall film height on the surface of the airfoil is shown.

https://doi.org/10.31871/IJNTR.7.2.13