Calculation and Optimization of The Aerodynamic Drag of An Open-Wheel Race Car
Calculation and Optimization of The Aerodynamic Drag of An Open-Wheel Race Car
Calculation and Optimization of The Aerodynamic Drag of An Open-Wheel Race Car
Abstract
Aerodynamic drag reduction is one of the important factors to make a race car
achieve a faster lap time. Additional drag is produced due to the air channel for
radiator cooling of the student designed open-wheel race car. This paper presents
the aerodynamic drag optimization of the race car through studying the effect of
the angle of the radiator air channel numerically using ANSYS Fluent and
experimentally using wind tunnel. A reduction of 12.7% in drag coefficient
compared to the current setup is achieved by tilting the angle of cooling channel
to 72.5 degree. Numerical results and experimental results show good agreement,
a maximum deviation of 7.7% between numerical and experimental drag
coefficient for case of the race car with driver included.
Keywords: Aerodynamic drag, Drag reduction, Drag optimization, ANSYS Fluent,
Automobile drag, CFD.
1. Introduction
A number of students from Taylor’s University had conceived, designed and built
an open-wheel race car to participate in the national competitions. Due to the
competition rules and constrains, the radiator is placed directly at the back of the
driver which blocks most of the cooling air from entering the radiator. Thus, an air
channel is fabricated to direct the air above the driver’s head into the radiator which
results in additional aerodynamic drag. The cooling of the engine is extremely
important during the endurance race. Engine overheating will affect the efficiency
of the engine or even engine failure might occur during the race. Figure 1 shows the
actual race car with the attachment of radiator cooling channel.
1
2 A. S. M. Al-Obaidi and C. S. Lee
Nomenclatures
A Frontal area, m2
CD Total drag coefficient
CDf Skin-friction drag coefficient
CDp Pressure drag coefficient
Dp Pressure drag force, N
P Pressure, Pa
Rl Reynolds number based on reference length
Greek Symbols
θ Angle between relative velocity to the normal pressure force, rad
Radiator Cooling Channel
study of the effect on the angle of the radiator cooling channel on aerodynamic
drag is suggested. Figure 2 shows the parametric study conducted in this paper.
Flow Flow
direction direction
Flow Flow
direction direction
Flow Flow
direction direction
The current setup of the race car which attached the radiator cooling channel
at 36 degree produces a drag coefficient of 0.619 which increased the drag
coefficient by 14.84% compared to the one without. Attaching the radiator
cooling channel produced negative pressure region at the rear of the car which
increases the drag coefficient. The cooling channel is then angled to reduce the
drag coefficient but on the other hand it reduces the air flowing into the radiator.
Increasing the angle of the cooling channel from 46.5 degree actually reduces the
drag coefficient towards the drag coefficient of the race car angled at 90 degree.
This phenomena agrees well with theoretical explanation whereby increasing the
angle of the cooling channel reduces the restriction of air flow whereby reduces
the total drag coefficient. Theoretically, 90 degree angled cooling channel should
produce the less overall drag coefficient.
When the radiator cooling channel is angled at 72.5 degree, the drag
coefficient is 0.563 which is lower than the current setup and 90 degree angled
cooling channel. A reduction of 9.9% in drag coefficient compared to the current
setup is achieved. This phenomenon might be caused by the turbulence created
from the cooling channel. This particular angle introduced turbulence into the
negative pressure region at the rear end of the car which increases the pressure
coefficient, Cp at the rear reducing the pressure difference.
4.3. Comparison
Figure 9 compares the trend for the results obtained from numerical analysis and
experimental analysis. As shown in the figure, the comparison of numerical
results and experimental results show good agreement in trend especially after
46.5 degree. A maximum deviation of 7.7% between the experimental and
numerical results was detected at the 90 degree radiator cooling channel setup.
This shows that at both analysis, 72.5 degree setup provide the less total drag
coefficient compare to all other setup.
5. Conclusion
An investigation has been conducted for the effect of the angle of radiator cooling
channel on the total drag coefficient of the race car. Angle of the radiator cooling
channel at 36 degree, 46.5 degree, 54.5 degree, 72.5 degree, and 90 degree are
analysed. Numerical method and experimental method are used in the analysis.
Comparison is made between the numerical and experimental results. Some
conclusion from the analysis and suggestion are given below.
• The results obtained from both numerical and experimental methods show
good agreement.
• Increasing the radiator cooling channel could reduce the total drag coefficient
of the race car compare to the current setup where the cooling channel is
angled at 36 degree.
• 72.5 degree setup provide the less drag coefficient, but this setup provide less
air flow into the radiator which will overheat the engine during the race. Hence,
optimization and compromise need to be done to obtain the optimum solution.
• An automated control feedback system could be implemented to compromise
and optimize the drag produced. The angle of the radiator cooling channel
increases when the engine is cooled to reduce the air flow restriction thus
reducing the total drag coefficient and vice versa.
• Future work can be done in the area of modelling the heat transfer and obtain
the relation between the heat transfer of the radiator and the drag coefficient
of the car.
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Appendix A
Residual plots and Convergence graphs in ANSYS Fluent
For the numerical analysis, each drag coefficient is obtained with residual plots
and convergence graph in the ANSYS Fluent software. The drag coefficient is
obtained when the convergence graph stop converging and stabilizes.