Airfoil Selection Tool

The Airfoil Selection Tool is a Python-based tool that helps in analyzing various airfoils using XFOIL, generating aerodynamic data, and summarizing the results into a comprehensive PDF report. The tool processes multiple airfoils and calculates their polar data based on user-defined parameters such as Reynolds number, velocity, and angle of attack.

Features

• XFOIL Integration: Automatically runs XFOIL simulations for various NACA airfoils.
• Polar Data Extraction: Extracts polar data for airfoils, including lift coefficient (CL), drag coefficient (CD), and lift-to-drag ratio.
• Graphical Report: Automatically generates plots for CL, CD, and CL/CD ratio over the angle of attack and compiles them into a PDF report.
• Single and Batch Processing: Analyze a single airfoil or multiple airfoils in one run.
• Object-Oriented Structure: The project is designed using an object-oriented approach, allowing for modular, maintainable, and reusable code.

Object-Oriented Design

The program uses classes and functions to encapsulate the logic for various components:

• Airfoil Data Processing: The analysis.py file includes functions for processing the airfoil polar data files, extracting parameters such as the Reynolds number and plotting the relevant graphs.
• Modular Design: Each airfoil is handled independently, with methods for data extraction, plotting, and file management grouped logically.
• Reusability: The structure allows easy extension for handling new airfoil formats or additional aerodynamic data.

Usage

Running the Tool

1. Single Airfoil Analysis: Use main.py to run an XFOIL analysis for a single specified airfoil (e.g., "NACA0012") with predefined parameters. This script generates a polar data file for the specified airfoil.

   python main.py

2. Multiple Airfoil Analysis: Use test.py to analyze multiple NACA 4-digit airfoils. This script prompts the user for the number of airfoils, their digits, chord length, and freestream velocity, then generates polar data files for each airfoil and compiles a PDF report.

   python test.py

Output

• The tool generates polar data files for each analyzed airfoil and compiles a PDF report (airfoil_analysis_report.pdf) containing the analysis results and plots.

Requirements

• Python 3.x
• Matplotlib
• Pandas
• Numpy
• XFOIL (Installed and accessible in the system)

Installation

Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/zakriahayder/Airfoil-Selection-Tool.git
cd Airfoil-Selection-Tool

Install the required Python packages:

pip install pandas matplotlib numpy

Ensure that XFOIL is installed and accessible in your system's PATH.

Conclusion

The Airfoil Selection Tool provides a comprehensive solution for analyzing airfoils, making it easier for engineers and researchers to obtain and visualize aerodynamic data efficiently.