Numerical Investigation of an NACA 13112 Morphing Airfoil

This article presents a numerical study on the 2D aerodynamic characteristics of an airfoil with a morphed camber. The operational regime of the main rotor blade of the IAR 330 PUMA helicopter was encompassed in CFD simulations, performed over an angle of attack range of alpha=[-3 degrees; 18 degrees], and a Mach number of M=0.38. Various degrees of camber adjustment were smoothly implemented to the trailing-edge section of the NACA13112 airfoil, with a corresponding chord length of c=600 mm at the Reynolds number, Re=5.138x106, and the resulting changes in static lift and drag were calculated. The study examines the critical parameters that affect the configuration of the morphing airfoil, particularly the length of the trailing edge morphing. This analysis demonstrates that increasing the morphed camber near the trailing edge enhances lift capability and indicates that the maximum lift of the airfoil depends on the morphed chord length. The suggested approach demonstrates potential and can be implemented across various categories of aerodynamic structures, such as propeller blade sections, tails, or wings.