# How to find the static stall angle of attack for a given airfoil at given Re?

For vertical axis wind turbines applications

I'm wondering how one would find the static stall angle of an airfoil at a given Reynold number?

Is it just the critical angle of attach (AoA) where highest lift is achieved or some value beyond that? Consider the given graph for NACA0012 (for the use of vertical axis wind turbines) at Re of $$3\times 10^5$$, what will be the static stall angle in this case?

I found some stuff here and there, yet, I couldn't figure out my issue. The graphed data were taken from this Ref[i].

In fluid dynamics, a stall is a reduction in the lift coefficient generated by a foil as angle of attack increases. This occurs when the critical angle of attack of the foil is exceeded.

Other related questions: 1 and 2.

[i] Sheldahl, R.E. & Klimas, P.C., Aerodynamic characteristics of seven symmetrical airfoil sections through 180-degree angle of attack for use in aerodynamic analysis of vertical axis wind turbines , Albuquergue, NM: Sandia National Laboratories, Report No.: SAND80-2114, 1980.

• I'd be a little suspicious of that data... getting your best CL at around 45 degrees AoA??? That seems, um, improbable. What you probably need to look at is the spike around 10 degrees AoA. Plotting what happens at AoA of 90 degrees or more seems unproductive, when you consider what that would look like in flight. – Ralph J May 9 '20 at 22:24
• @RalphJ This is actually a common characteristics at extremely large AOA. It basically just follows a sine curve. But at 45deg L/D is 1:1 or less, so it's not very useful anyhow. – JZYL May 10 '20 at 0:34
• Are you asking about the definition, or how to computationally/experimentally find it? – JZYL May 10 '20 at 1:20
• @JZYL, I am asking how to find it, as shown in bold. – AlFagera May 10 '20 at 19:01
• @AlFagera Then what are you trying to demonstrate with the two plots? – JZYL May 10 '20 at 19:07