RANS vs LES Airfoil Simulation
Ansys LES vs RANS
In this project, my goal was to compare the difference between Reynold Average Navier-Stokes (RANS) and Large Eddy Simulation (LES) CFD solvers from Ansys Fluent. I simulated a 2D NACA 4412 airfoil at different angles of attack. The simulations were set up as incompressible flows with Reynold's number of 3 million (43.8 m/s). I used a high-resolution C-mesh for accurate flow solutions and ease of use for different flow angles. I found that the RANS model was more accurate at calculating drag while the LES model was more accurate at lift. Both models over predicted lift and drag at high angle of attack and were more accurate at low angles. The LES model was able to show the point of flow seperation at the leading edge much better than the RANS model, and found higher skin friction along the surface of the airfoil. My results were compared with experimental data from NASA of a similar flow case. The LES model took a long time to resolve (about 15 hours) while the RANS model was very quick (about 30 mins).
LES vs RANS Results
LES Velocity
RANS Velocity
LES Pressure
RANS Pressure
LES Velocity Streamlines
RANS Velocity Streamlines
LES Turbiscity
RANS Turbiscity
LES Wall Shear
RANS Wall Shear
Numerical Results
Lift Coefficients compared to experimental results
Drag Coefficients compared to experimental results
Pressure Coefficients compared to experimental results
Skin Friction comparison
Velocity Profile above wing at x=0.6753m
This data is comparing the Ansys Fluent simulation velocity profile to the NASA experimental data at the first vertical line depicted by the sketched airfoil above.
Velocity Profile above wing at x=0.9528m
This data is comparing the Ansys Fluent simulation velocity profile to the NASA experimental data at the second slanted line depicted by the sketched airfoil above.