NEW AIRFOIL DESIGN CONCEPT

This article summarizes the development of a new airfoil design concept. The new concept is based on utilizing unconventional geometry characteristics near the airfoil trailing edge. These characteristics include a finite trailing-edge thickness, strongly divergent trailing-edge upper and lower surfaces, and high surface curvature on the lower surface at or near the lower surface trailing edge. The article includes the original development of the new concept, computational analyses of airfoils and a wing utilizing the concept, airfoil validation wind-tunnel test results of several configurations, and wing validation wind-tunnel test results for a complete wing design. In addition to validating the concept, the airfoil and wing testing provided additional detailed data to better understand the aerodynamic advantage of such an unconventional trailing-edge configuration. It is demonstrated that the concept represents an advancement in airfoil technology beyond that achieved with the supercritical airfoil. This concept provides the aerodynamicist an additional degree of design freedom and flexibility previously unrecognized.