Aerodynamic Performance Comparison of NACA 0012 and NACA 2412 Airfoils at Laminar Flow Condition

This study investigates and compares the low-Reynolds-number aerodynamic characteristics of two widely used airfoils: NACA 0012 and NACA 2412. The analysis focuses on lift, drag, drag coefficient, pressure contours, and velocity contours at angles of attack of 0°, 5°, 10°, 15°, and 20°. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations were performed under laminar flow conditions, using a steady-state approach at a flow velocity of 0.46 m/s and a chord length of 1 m. At a Reynolds number of 30,000, the results reveal that the NACA 2412 consistently produces greater lift than the NACA 0012 for the same conditions. These findings suggest that the NACA 2412 airfoil could offer performance advantages in certain aerodynamic applications, including potential use in the aviation industry.