Aerodynamic Performance and Flow Characteristics of the 2D NACA 2412 Airfoil Using CFD

Yuchen Guo

doi:10.54254/2755-2721/2026.BJ30966

Yuchen Guo^*

Rutgers New Brunswick

^* Corresponding author: projason1234@gmail.com

Published: 31 December 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.54254/2755-2721/2026.BJ30966

Abstract

the Lift on a cambered airfoil depends on the interaction of pressure, vorticity, and the boundary layer. Classical inviscid flow theory alone cannot describe this process completely. In real flow conditions, viscosity becomes significant. The way circulation develops therefore influences the aerodynamic loading on the airfoil surface. Previous research has examined vortex behavior near the trailing edge. Liu’s review points out that the starting vortex helps satisfy the Kutta condition and allows circulation to form. Other studies compare lifting-surface approaches with CFD methods. These works show that geometric features, such as camber and thickness, lead to nonlinear pressure effects. Simplified potential-flow models often struggle to predict these effects accurately. This study uses CFD to investigate the NACA 2412 airfoil at a Reynolds number of approximately3.1×106. A C-type computational domain is applied with a structured quadrilateral mesh. The mesh maintains a near-wall resolution ofy+≈1, which enables reliable boundary-layer resolution. The pressure, velocity, and streamline results display clear suction peaks and smooth pressure recovery. The flow field also shows stable circulation around the airfoil. The numerical results agree well with available experimental data. Similar trends appear in Reynolds-number sensitivity and boundary-layer stability reported in earlier studies. This analysis demonstrates that CFD provides an effective connection between aerodynamic theory and real flow behavior.

Keywords: Aerodynamics , Airfoil , Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) , NACA 2412

ACE Vol.220

ISSN (Print): 2755-2721

ISSN (Online): 2755-273X

ISBN (Print): 978-1-80590-619-3

ISBN (Online): 978-1-80590-620-9

Download Cover

Article Information

Received: 25 December 2025

Published: 31 December 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.54254/2755-2721/2026.BJ30966

Article Type: Research Article

Cite this article

Guo,Y. (2025). Aerodynamic Performance and Flow Characteristics of the 2D NACA 2412 Airfoil Using CFD. Applied and Computational Engineering,220,1-7.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.

Disclaimer/Publisher's Note

The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of EWA Publishing and/or the editor(s). EWA Publishing and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content.

About this Volume

Volume Title: ACE Vol.220

Part of Series: Applied and Computational Engineering

ISSN: 2755-2721 (Print) / 2755-273X (Online)

Article Information

Cite this article

Data availability

Disclaimer/Publisher's Note

About this Volume

Copyright & License