Aerodynamic characteristics of seven symmetrical airfoil sections through 180-degree angle of attack for use in aerodynamic analysis of vertical axis wind turbines

When work began on the Darrieus vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) program at Sandia National Laboratories, it was recognized that there was a paucity of symmetrical airfoil data needed to describe the aerodynamics of turbine blades. Curved-bladed Darrieus turbines operate at local Reynolds numbers (Re) and angles of attack (..cap alpha..) seldom encountered in aeronautical applications. This report describes (1) a wind tunnel test series conducted at moderate values of Re in which 0 less than or equal to ..cap alpha.. less than or equal to 180/sup 0/ force and moment data were obtained for four symmetrical blade-candidate airfoil sections (NACA-0009, -0012, -0012H, and -0015), and (2) how an airfoil property synthesizer code can be used to extend the measured properties to arbitrary values of Re (10/sup 4/ less than or equal to Re less than or equal to 10/sup 7/) and to certain other section profiles (NACA-0018, -0021, -0025).