engleski

Computational modeling of aerodynamic loads on two race cars at various distances

Computational model was developed to study aerodynamic forces acting on two race cars. Both cars have the same driving speed and they are situated one directly behind another one. A particular focus was on the influence of a distance between the cars. The computational domain was discretized using the hybrid approach with prism layers in the boundary layer. The computations were performed for a steady viscous fluid flow using the realizable k-ε turbulence model and non-equilibrium wall functions. The results indicate a strong influence of distance between the leading and the trailing car on aerodynamic forces acting on those cars. The trailing car causes a reduction in the drag force coefficient of the leading car. With decreasing distance between the cars, the drag force coefficient of the trailing car first increase until a distance is equal to the one car length, and it decreases for smaller distances. The modifications of the lift force coefficient are more pronounced for the trailing car because there is a significant decrease in the negative lift force coefficient. A decrease in the negative lift force coefficient is present for the leading car as well ; however, it is less emphasized.

Race car aerodynamics ; Aerodynamic forces ; Computational simulations

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