A theory on understanding aerodynamic phenomena of airfoils and the significance of airfoil’s thickness on lift and drag

This paper proposes a new theory explaining aerodynamic phenomena of airfoils. The theory is based on the application of Newton’s classical mechanics rather than differential equations of fluid dynamics. The approach in developing the equations contains both geometrical and fluid dynamics perspectives of motion of body in a fluid. Based on the theory, it is shown that new airfoil designs could be generated through the application of “contraction” and subsequent “expansion” in the geometry for lift generation. The effect of thickness of airfoil is important in the context of lift and drag and further investigation on its effect on airfoil aerodynamics is conducted. The obtained results are reported and discussed.