XFLR 5 - BASICS

XFLR5 - BASICS

Hello, fellow friends, today we are back to learn a new software with new ways of implementing your ideas and knowledge about airfoils and how you can try and make a better airfoil by changing a few digits.

XFLR5 is an analysis tool for airfoils, wings and planes operating at low Reynolds Numbers. It includes:

1. XFoil's Direct and Inverse analysis capabilities.
2. Wing design and analysis capabilities based on the Lifiting Line Theory, on the Vortex Lattice Method, and on a 3D Panel Method.

Where to download xflr5?........ not a tough job you wont require a "utorrent" for it.

> go to this link ------->  (http://sourceforge.net/projects/xflr5/files/latest/download?source=files)

> google has got it all by just typing its name...........

After installing it there is one thing that I would like to share with you guys, we all have got theoretical knowledge in our minds knowing about the basics of, what an airfoil is, what are the various characteristics that are factors of its selection for a particular plane.

Well XFLR5 has got it all now we can perorm our own analysis and design, modify and craft our own aircrafts.

Airfoils are very difficult to be built at a very short deadline and to analyse them is another mammoth task ahead us. So thanks to the ""UIUC Applied Aerodynamics Group" for giving out free outlines of several airfoils from around the globe.

BASICS 

1. Go to ------> ( http://aerospace.illinois.edu/m-selig/ads/coord_database.html) and go through the various types of airfoils some of which you might haven't heard of.

2. Select the type of airfoil you require to experiment upon and download the ".dat file".

3. Open XFLR5 ---------> Choose the FILE option in the toolbar and open "Direct Foil Design" or you may also simply type "CLT + 1".

4. Choose the OPEN option on the toolbar and open the .dat file downloaded.

5. Choose the FILE option in the toolbar and open "XFoil Direct Analysis" or you can type "CLT + 5".

The software will display the airfoil design and also the various parameters of the airfoil like thickness, chord length and mean camber etc.

6. Choose ANALYSIS from the toolbar and open "Batch Analysis" or type "Shift + F6".

The dialog box will open containing various parameters which are pre-defined for the airfoil, you may modify after you get the basic idea of analysis.

7. Select "RANGE" in Batch Variable.

8. Select "ALPHA" (angle of attack) in Analysis Range.

9. Or you can also select "Cl" (coefficient of lift) in Analysis Range.

10. Click on ANALYZE.

On the background you can see the graphs been plotted as per the values entered. After the completion close the dialog box and then watch the watch the graphs been plotted. From these 5 graphs you can also choose the analysis of you favorite parameter as well.

11. Double click over any graph, for example - alpha VS Cl graph and choose the XY axis and there you go.

NOTE - THE GRAPHS WHICH YOU SEE ARE OF MAXIMIZED SIZE YOU CAN ZOOM IN TO SEE THE ACTUAL SHAPE OF THE GRAPH. 

Thank you for patience and please practice this over various airfoils available out there.