A Numerical Analysis of NACA 0015 Airfoil with Different Types of Flaps

Enhancing aerodynamic performance is critical in the aviation industry to improve aircraft efficiency and reduce fuel consumption. Airfoils, which generate lift and drag during motion through a fluid, are highly sensitive to geometric modifications. This study investigates the aerodynamic behavior of a NACA 0015 airfoil equipped with various flap configurations and flap deflection angles. Flaps are widely used to increase the camber and effective angle of attack of an airfoil, thereby enhancing lift generation. The NACA 0015 airfoil was modeled using SOLIDWORKS, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were performed in ANSYS Fluent, employing the k-ω SST turbulence model at a Reynolds number of 100,000. Results indicate that both lift and drag coefficients increase with the angle of attack. The highest lift coefficient was achieved using a plain flap at a deflection angle of 20° and an angle of attack of 10°, while the highest drag force occurred under the same conditions. Compared to the baseline (unmodified) airfoil, the lift-to-drag ratio improved significantly with flap deployment, reaching its maximum for a plain flap at a 10° deflection. The simulation outcomes were validated against available experimental data under comparable boundary conditions. These findings offer valuable guidance for optimizing airfoil-flap configurations, with direct implications for the design of more efficient wing and control surface systems in modern aircraft, ultimately contributing to enhanced fuel economy and overall aerodynamic performance.