Motorsport Aerodynamics

Jamie Arner

Brian Feldman

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Importance of Aerodynamics

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Aerodynamic Design Methodology

CFD
Develop parts and visualize flow over car and devices before models are built

Wind Tunnel
Scale model testing of devices Full size testing of vehicle (rolling road)

Track
Devices are assessed and approved for racing
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Motorsports
Heavily Regulated Extremely Competitive Highly Developed Highly Secretive

Front Air Dam

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Limits the Amount of Air Passing Underneath the Car Contributes to High Pressure In Front of the Car Causes Low Pressure Underneath the Car
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Front Splitter

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Captures Some of the High Pressure Created In Front of the Air Dam, Causing Downforce

Side Skirts

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Side Skirts Prevent High Pressure Air Around the Car from Disturbing the Low Pressure Underneath the Car
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Canards (French for Duck)

Captures a Small Amount of Downforce by Redirecting Airflow Upward. Main Purpose is the Creation of Large Vortices That Run the Length of the Vehicle

Canard Vortices

Vortices Spin Inwards, Towards the Vehicle on Each Side

Canard Vortices Work In Conjunction With Side Skirts to Limit the High Pressure Air From Mixing With the Low 9 Pressure Air Found Underneath the Car

Venturi Tunnels / Rear Diffusers

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Ground Effects
Ride Height
Downforce Increases with Reduced Clearance h Diffuser Stall Individual to Each Design

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Underbody Pressure

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Suction Peak Occurs Near the Diffuser Entrance Can be used to Control the Vehicle Center of Pressure
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Rear Diffuser
Expands Air Back Down to Road Velocity
Slows the Flow and Raises the Air Pressure Acts as a Pump Drawing More Air from the Undertray
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Rear Wing Drives the Diffuser Because of its Proximity to the Wing's Low Pressure Side

Reduce the Overall Pressure Drag on the Vehicle by Introducing High Pressure Air into the Low Pressure Wake Region
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Diffuser Vortices
Two Vortices form at the Side Edges of the Diffuser
Flow Separates at the Sharp Leading Edge Reattached by the Side Vortices Separation Line is Dictated by the Leading Edge Reynolds Number Effect Insignificant

Reasons for Loss of Downforce at Low Ground Clearance

Vortex Breakdown

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Venturi Tunnels
Venturi effect
constricts the flow
creates low pressure high velocity flow Less pitch sensitive than flat bottom Highly regulated to limit cornering speeds

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Underbody Vortices
Induced vortex speeds up flow over F-16 wing
Vortex Lift
Strakes
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Vortex Generators speed up flow at the front

Strong stable vortex creates suction loads along its trail Bernoulli says air pressure decreases

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Vortex Generators

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Trips the Boundary Layer, Causing the Laminar Air Traveling Over the Roof to Become Turbulent Typically the size of the boundary layer, 15mm - 30mm at the rear end of a vehicle roof
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Effect of VGs on Flow Separation

VG Separation Region Separation Region

With VG

Without VG

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Effect on Bluff Bodies

With VG

Without VG

VGs Cause Drag, but Reduce Pressure Drag by Delaying Flow Separation from Occurring Reducing the Magnitude of the Separation Region Increases the Static Pressure of Separation Region Higher Velocities Closer to Car, Resulting in a Smaller Wake Behind Vehicle
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Wing Endplates
A Wing with Endplates is Equivalent to a Longer Wing Without Endplates Effective Aspect Ratio

Aspect Ratio (AR) = Span/Chord

AR_effective = AR*(1+1.9*(Endplate Depth/Span)
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Gurney Flaps

Typically 1% to 4% of the Wing Chord Length

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Effect of a Gurney Flap on Flow

At High Angles of Attack, Flow Separates Addition of Gurney Flap Reattaches Flow

Can Increase the Downforce of the Wing up to 30%

Can Provide the Same Amount of Downforce with 3O less Angle of Attack
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How a Gurney Flap Works

Vortices Reattach Flow and Redirect it Slightly Upwards Relative to the Flow Over a Clean Wing, Implying An Increase in Circulation as the cause of increased Downforce
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Gurney Flap Size Vs. Lift

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Current Research on Gurney Flaps

Von Karman Vortex Street Forms Downstream of Gurney Flap Fluid of Negative Vorticity Becomes Trapped Upstream of Gurney Flap Trapped Fluid Escapes, Interfering Either Constructively or Destructively with Downstream Vortices

Increases Circulation and 25 Downforce

Additional Aerodynamic Considerations

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Questions ?

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References
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.
14. 15. 16.

Jang et al, Numerical investigation of an airfoil with a Gurney flap 1998 Katz, Joseph. Aerodynamics of Race Cars 2006 Koike et al, Research on Aerodynamic Drag Reduction by Vortex Generators 2004 Nikolic, Additional Aerodynamic Features of Wing-Gurney Flap Flows 2006 Sport Compact Car Magazine Automotive Aerodynamic: Part 2 Troolin et al, Time Resolved PIV Analysis of Flow Over a NACA 0015 Airfoil with Gurney Flap 2006 Troolin et al, Time Resolved PIV Analysis of a Gurney flap on a NACA 0015 Airfoil 2005 Troolin et al, The Effect of Gurney Flap Height on Vortex Shedding Modes Behind Symmetric Airfoils 2006 Zhang, Xin et al. Ground Effect Aerodynamics of Race Cars 2006 www.army.mil/armyimages/armyimage.php?photo=6806 www.autocult.com.au/img/gallery/997gt3773.jpg www.mulsannescorner.com www.seriouswheels.com
www.topgear.com www.insideracingtechnology.com/tech107bndrylayer.htm http://zedomax.com/blog/2007/04/19/rolling-wind-tunnel-that-goes-at-180mph/

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