I've used XFoil for airfoil design, but it only does single element airfoils. Are the similarly simple, public domain tools for multi-element airfoils as shown in this article?
The problem is that there are no public domain tools for this. I proposed this feature to Andre Deperrois (maker of QFLR5). He said it would be a lots of work to add it to the wing simulation of QFLR5. However, I would feel that it would worth it.
In QFLR5, theoretically you could put the tail right behind the wing to simulate a fowler flap, or use the biplane option to put a second wing. Results I don't know much of.
NACA has done quite a lot of wind tunnel tests in the forties with flaps for example so the free papers from NTRS (ntrs.nasa.gov) are a great source.
Also these particular flap designs aren't in use on most RC models - I fly RC planes myself.
The only planes you'll find these multi-panel flaps on are scale models, meant to mimic full-size planes completely. As far as I know for RC planes (and possibly small full-size aircraft) a single panel flap is better because of less dead weight and stronger structure. This, at least, is completely true on RC aircraft with a wingspan under 3.5 meters, and on almost all sailplanes which use laminar foils with trailing edge camber variations.
I believe that using the biplane option in QFLR5 as Karoliina suggested might just work adequately enough to be accurate.
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I've used XFoil for airfoil design, but it only does single element airfoils. Are the similarly simple, public domain tools for multi-element airfoils as shown in this article?
The problem is that there are no public domain tools for this. I proposed this feature to Andre Deperrois (maker of QFLR5). He said it would be a lots of work to add it to the wing simulation of QFLR5. However, I would feel that it would worth it.
In QFLR5, theoretically you could put the tail right behind the wing to simulate a fowler flap, or use the biplane option to put a second wing.
Results I don't know much of.
NACA has done quite a lot of wind tunnel tests in the forties with flaps for example so the free papers from NTRS (ntrs.nasa.gov) are a great source.
Also these particular flap designs aren't in use on most RC models - I fly RC planes myself.
The only planes you'll find these multi-panel flaps on are scale models, meant to mimic full-size planes completely. As far as I know for RC planes (and possibly small full-size aircraft) a single panel flap is better because of less dead weight and stronger structure. This, at least, is completely true on RC aircraft with a wingspan under 3.5 meters, and on almost all sailplanes which use laminar foils with trailing edge camber variations.
I believe that using the biplane option in QFLR5 as Karoliina suggested might just work adequately enough to be accurate.
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