Airfoil Performance Comparison of the NACA 4412 and NACA 6412 at High Reynolds Numbers

Abstract

The paper discusses the behavior of two popular airfoils in the same conditions of flow, which are NACA 4412 and NACA 6412, at a Reynolds number of 1.85 ×10⁶, and uses computational fluid dynamics (CFD) as its primary instrument. The alteration in the flow field is considered also since the angle of attack is increased rather than focusing on the end results. Overall, the tendency of both airfoils is similar in the pre-stall regime, as the lift is not constant and continues to increase with the angle. Despite this, it is still possible to note differences. The NACA 4412 will tend to generate more lift at the middle range, but the NACA 6412 will tend to maintain the drag at a relatively lower level in cases of a small angle. The more challenging the flow condition becomes, the more evident the gap between the two is, and one of them seems to retain its performance at a greater distance. This action can concern the effect of the surface curvature on the distribution of pressure. On the whole, the comparison gives a more intuitive picture of their features and could be helpful in the process of making engineering decisions.