Automobile Aerodynamics Influenced by Airfoil-Shaped Rear Wing
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View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by FAMENA Repository International Journal of Automotive Technology, Vol. 17, No. 3, pp. 377−385 (2016) Copyright © 2016 KSAE/ 090−03 DOI 10.1007/s12239−016−0039−4 pISSN 1229−9138/ eISSN 1976−3832 AUTOMOBILE AERODYNAMICS INFLUENCED BY AIRFOIL-SHAPED REAR WING A. BULJAC, I. DŽIJAN, I. KORADE, S. KRIZMANIĆ and H. KOZMAR* Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture, University of Zagreb, Ivana Lučića 5, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia (Received 3 March 2015; Revised 4 September 2015; Accepted 29 November 2015) ABSTRACT−Computational model is developed to analyze aerodynamic loads and flow characteristics for an automobile, when the rear wing is placed above the trunk of the vehicle. The focus is on effects of the rear wing height that is investigated in four different positions. The relative wind incidence angle of the rear wing is equal in all configurations. Hence, the discrepancies in the results are only due to an influence of the rear wing position. Computations are performed by using the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations along with the standard k-ε turbulence model and standard wall functions assuming the steady viscous fluid flow. While the lift force is positive (upforce) for the automobile without the rear wing, negative lift force (downforce) is obtained for all configurations with the rear wing in place. At the same time, the rear wing increases the automobile drag that is not favorable with respect to the automobile fuel consumption. However, this drawback is not that significant, as the rear wing considerably benefits the automobile traction and stability. An optimal automobile downforce-to-drag ratio is obtained for the rear wing placed at 39 % of the height between the upper surface of the automobile trunk and the automobile roof. Two characteristic large vortices develop in the automobile wake in configuration without the rear wing. They vanish with the rear wing placed close to the trunk, while they gradually restore with an increase in the wing mounting height. KEY WORDS : Automobile aerodynamics, Rear wing, Aerodynamic forces, Steady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations, k-ε turbulence model 1. INTRODUCTION While the automobile aerodynamics has been traditionally studied experimentally in the wind tunnels, the Various technical solutions have been explored to optimize Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) has been fuel consumption of road vehicles as well as to improve increasingly used to investigate this topic, even though their traction and stability. An increase in the maximum tire further improvements are still necessary to make this lateral force, which is improving car traction and cornering approach more reliable (Guilmineau, 2008). Chien-Hsiung ability, can be achieved by increasing the tire normal force et al. (2009) studied influence of a rear wing on (Katz, 1996). This can be obtained by redesigning the aerodynamic behavior of a passenger car. Their CFD automobile shape using various aerodynamic devices. results indicate an improved vertical stability of the vehicle These devices generally neutralize the uplift force and in configurations with a rear wing. The two dominant rear produce the downforce, thus increasing the tire normal vortices (C-pillar vortices) in the wake of the automobile, force and improving the vehicle dynamics without developing from the vertical supports of an automobile increasing the actual mass of the car. One of the important window area and adversely influencing an overall vehicle aerodynamic parts commonly used to improve automobile aerodynamics, reduce significantly in size when the rear aerodynamics is an airfoil-shaped rear wing placed at the wing is used (Bao, 2011), while the wing shape proved to trunk of the vehicle. While the basic aerodynamic be an important issue as well (Norwazan et al., 2012). characteristics of the rear wing are generally known, While the rear wing has been commonly used to further work is still required with respect to the wind improve vehicle aerodynamics, various possibilities with incidence angle and the wing mounting height at the trunk the front wing and rear diffuser have been explored as well. of the automobile. The general goal is to increase the Hu et al. (2011) reported a decrease in the lift coefficient automobile downforce to improve its traction and stability, with an increase in the rear diffuser angle with respect to while simultaneously try to avoid considerable drag ground. The use of a rear diffuser for the purposes of increment, which adversely increases fuel consumption. aerodynamic drag reduction of a sedan car was studied in CFD simulations by Kang et al. (2012), indicating a drag *Corresponding author. e-mail: [email protected] reduction of maximum 4 % yielding a lower automobile 377 378 A. BULJAC et al. fuel consumption. For the front wing, the wind incidence angle considerably influences flow characteristics around the vehicle (Diasinos and Gatto, 2008). In addition to sedan-type vehicles, the rear wings proved to be effective for trucks as well (Ha et al., 2011), while aerodynamically shaping the rear part of the vehicles can yield improvements in vehicle aerodynamics, even though the wings and spoilers are not used (Song et al., 2012). In Figure 1. Geometrical model of the BMW E38 automobile addition to other important issues, wheel rotation is model along with four different mounting heights of the observed to influence aerodynamics of vehicles as well rear wing. (Fackell and Harvey, 1975). For example, Rizal et al. (2012) report that tires account for more than 25 % of the total drag coefficient for open-wheel cars. mounting height on the flow characteristics and In the past, vehicle aerodynamics has been commonly aerodynamic forces, in total five different computational studied for quasi-steady flow conditions. However, in case models are created, i.e. one model without the rear wing of transient flow conditions the vehicle aerodynamics can and four models for various wing mounting heights. A change dramatically, which is particularly exhibited when schematic view of the studied automobile together with vehicles are passing viaduct and bridges (Kozmar et al., different positions of the airfoil-shaped rear wing is 2012, 2015). The quasi-steady approach proved not to be reported in Figure 1. In each simulation, only one rear wing completely adequate during an overtaking maneuver is considered at the time. (Corin et al., 2008), as in this case the aerodynamic forces Distance from the trunk to the roof of the automobile is can be 400 % larger than calculated using the quasi-steady constant and denoted as H, while the distance from the analysis, which can have significant effect on vehicle trunk to the wing leading edge, different for every wing stability. mounting height, is b. These dimensions are presented in The scope of this study is to computationally investigate Figure 2. Dimensions of the computational domain are influence of the rear-wing mounting height on selected to keep the blockage of the computational domain aerodynamic properties of the sedan-type automobile and below the commonly accepted critical value of 6 % (West the flow characteristics in the wake of the automobile. The and Apelt, 1982). In particular, given the selected size of effects of the wind incidence angle on a studied airfoil- shape wing are analyzed and an optimal wind incidence angle is determined with respect to downforce-to-drag ratio. The rear wing is placed on the car with four different heights in such way that relative wing incidence angle is equal for all setups, therefore the effects of wing angle of attack are negligible. Contributions of the automobile and the wing to the overall aerodynamic forces are analyzed for different setups. 2. COMPUTATIONAL SETUP Figure 2. Schematic side view of the computational The studied automobile is BMW E38. It is simplified by domain and the BMW E38 automobile model, dimensions introducing the vertical symmetry plane, i.e. the flow and are given in millimeters. aerodynamic forces are simulated on one (left-hand) side of the vehicle only, and the results are assumed to be symmetrical on the right-hand side of the vehicle. Nevertheless, as the preliminary computational tests indicate the symmetry of the flow with respect to automobile symmetry plane, while the automobile is symmetrical on both sides as well, this proved not to make any difference in the results. Small details of the automobile geometry, such as bumpers and mirrors, are not modeled, as they are not considered to influence the results notably, while modeling those details significantly increases complexity of the computational domain and Figure 3. Schematic rear view of the computational therefore the time necessary to perform the computations. domain and the BMW E38 automobile model, dimensions As the focus of this study is on effects of the rear wing are given in millimeters. AUTOMOBILE AERODYNAMICS INFLUENCED BY AIRFOIL-SHAPED REAR WING 379 ∂∂∂ρvvv∂∂∂p ⎡⎤⎛⎞⎛⎞∂∂vv2 iii+()ρμμρδvv =−+⎢⎥⎜⎟⎜⎟ ++jj +− k . ∂∂t xji ∂∂ xx⎜⎟⎜⎟ ∂∂ xx t ∂∂ xx3 ij (2) jijjiji⎣⎦⎢⎥⎝⎠⎝⎠ Components of the averaged velocity are denoted as vi, p is averaged pressure, ρ is density, xi are components of the position vector, μ is dynamic viscosity, μt is turbulence viscosity, k is averaged turbulence kinetic energy vv'' Figure 4. Geometrical discretization of the computational k = ii, while the turbulence viscosity is defined as; domain on smaller scale, automobile symmetry plane. 2 2 k μρ= C , (3) tµε where ε is averaged dissipation of turbulence kinetic energy. This numerical model is used together with two Figure 5. Geometrical discretization of the computational additional transport equations of the k-ε turbulence model domain on larger scale, automobile symmetry plane. (Launder and Spalding, 1974), ∂∂ ∂⎡⎤⎛⎞μ ∂k ()ρρkvk+=++−() ⎢⎥ μt G ρε, the computational domain and the automobile reported in ∂∂txj ∂ x⎜⎟σ k ∂ x (4) jj⎣⎦⎢⎥⎝⎠ j Figures 2 and 3, the automobile blockage is 1.3 % of the ⎡⎤ 2 computational domain which is considerably lower than ∂∂ ∂⎛⎞μt ∂εεε ()ρε+=+−−() ρvCGCj1 ε⎢⎥⎜⎟ μ2 ρ .