XFoil-Python

XFoil API for Python

SET-UP:

• 1 - Install the newest version of XFoil and unzip.
  The download can be found at https://web.mit.edu/drela/Public/web/xfoil/

• 2 - Download python module requirements from the 'requirements.txt' file.

• 3 - In 'config.yaml', change the 'xfoil_path' variable to the absolute path XFoil's directory.

HOW TO USE:

The API is accessed via command line arguments.

In 'config.yaml', modify the values for your calculations

Getting data:

• Method 1: Calc using a Single Value of Cl or Alpha (AoA)

  usage:
  Single_calc.py [-h] [-r REYNOLDS_NUM] -t {cl,alpha} -v INPUT_VALUE [-o] [-n AEROFOIL_NAMES [AEROFOIL_NAMES ...]]

  options:
    -h, --help
                          show this help message and exit
    -r REYNOLDS_NUM, --reynolds_num REYNOLDS_NUM
                          Value of Reynolds Number as integer (-1 for inviscid flow)
    -t {cl,alpha}, --input_type {cl,alpha}
                          Calculate based off cl or alpha
    -v INPUT_VALUE, --input_value INPUT_VALUE
                          Value of cl or alpha
    -o, --delete_old      
                          OPTIONAL: If NOT FLAGGED (true), deletes any previously stored data for inputted aerofoils,
                          else if FLAGGED (false), appends new data to this reviously stored data
    -n AEROFOIL_NAMES [AEROFOIL_NAMES ...], --aerofoil_names AEROFOIL_NAMES [AEROFOIL_NAMES ...]
                          NACA 4-digit aerofoils to test (in "NACAxxxx" form), as a list
  

  Examples:
  python Single_calc.py -t cl -v 0.5 -n NACA1418
python Single_calc.py -r 90000 -t cl -v 0.5 -n NACA1416 NACA1417
python Single_calc.py -r 90000 -t alpha -v 5.0 -n NACA1416 NACA1417

• Method 2: Calc by iterating over a sequence of angles

  usage:
  Sequence_calc.py [-h] [-r REYNOLDS_NUM] [-o] [-n AEROFOIL_NAMES [AEROFOIL_NAMES ...]]

  options:
    -h, --help
                          show this help message and exit
    -r REYNOLDS_NUM, --reynolds_num REYNOLDS_NUM
                          Value of Reynolds Number as integer (-1 for inviscid flow)
    -o, --delete_old      
                          OPTIONAL: If NOT FLAGGED (true), deletes any previously stored data for inputted aerofoils,
                          else if FLAGGED (false), appends new data to this reviously stored data
    -n AEROFOIL_NAMES [AEROFOIL_NAMES ...], --aerofoil_names AEROFOIL_NAMES [AEROFOIL_NAMES ...]
                          NACA 4-digit aerofoils to test (in "NACAxxxx" form), as a list
  

  Examples:
  python Sequence_calc.py -r 90000 -n NACA1418
python Sequence_calc.py -r 90000 -o -n NACA1416 NACA1417
python Sequence_calc.py -r 90000 -n NACA1416 NACA1417

Plotting data:

• Method 1: From data collected via method 1

  usage:
  Single_plot.py [-h] [-n AEROFOIL_NAMES [AEROFOIL_NAMES ...]]

  options:
    -h, --help            show this help message and exit
    -n AEROFOIL_NAMES [AEROFOIL_NAMES ...], --aerofoil_names AEROFOIL_NAMES [AEROFOIL_NAMES ...]
                      NACA 4-digit aerofoils to test (in "NACAxxxx" form).
                      If left empty, will plot every aerofoil that has data in the directory
                      
  

  Examples:
  python Single_plot.py
python Single_plot.py -n NACA1418
python Single_plot.py -n NACA1416 NACA1417

• Method 2: From data collected via method 2

  usage:
  Sequence_plot.py [-h] [-n AEROFOIL_NAMES [AEROFOIL_NAMES ...]]

  options:
    -h, --help            show this help message and exit
    -n AEROFOIL_NAMES [AEROFOIL_NAMES ...], --aerofoil_names AEROFOIL_NAMES [AEROFOIL_NAMES ...]
                      NACA 4-digit aerofoils to test (in "NACAxxxx" form).
                      If left empty, will plot every aerofoil that has data in the directory
                      
  

  Examples:
  python Sequence_plot.py
python Sequence_plot.py -n NACA1418
python Sequence_plot.py -n NACA1416 NACA1417

Further Details:

For more details on using XFoil, visit
https://web.mit.edu/drela/Public/web/xfoil/