Pressure on Amusement Park Riders

Courtesy of Vekoma Rides Manufacturing BV

www.vekoma.nl Information Vekoma Rides Manufacturing B.V. is a two forms, but gradually energy is lost overall aerodynamic drag of the train. market leader in the global to friction and air resistance, and the While extensive streamlining of the first The Netherlands amusement industry in the design and latter can affect the speed and length carriage may reduce its wake, it can manufacture of family coasters, thrill of the ride. As modern roller coasters also lead to more exposure of the Leeghwaterstraat 21 coasters, and family attractions. become faster and the rides longer, second carriage to the undisturbed 2628 CB Delft Boasting a wide product range, the structures increase in size. Because wind, resulting in a higher overall drag. Niederlande Vekoma is responsible for such all-time wind conditions are often more severe Tel +31 - 15 278 2907 favorites as the Boomerang, the at greater heights, wind loading is Mob +31 - 6 2189 2652 Invertigo, the Suspended Looping particularly noticeable on taller roller [email protected] Coaster, and the Junior Coaster. coasters. To account for high speeds www.flowmotion.nl Vekoma's latest developments, the and wind loading, aerodynamics must LSM coaster, the Flying Dutchman, the be an essential part in the design of a Giant Inverted Boomerang, the modern roller coaster. Germany Suspended Family Coaster, and the Tilt Coaster, are driving the roller coaster Vekoma has sought the assistance of Weenermoorer Str. 193 industry of the future by setting new FlowMotion for the optimization of their 26826 Weener standards for quality and innovation. High Speed Suspended Looping Deutschland Coaster Train. Using Computational Tel +49 - 4953 922 969 Fluid Dynamics (CFD) the airflow Also, in high speed twisting parts of the Mob +49 - 179 597 4631 around the carriages including track, the drag is increased [email protected] occupants was simulated for several considerably when the individual two- wind speeds and directions. seat carriages fan out and more frontal area of the train is exposed to the wind. Based on the CFD results, a redesign of the seat shape was done that balanced the operating requirements and resulted in a significant performance improvement.

A roller coaster is essentially a gravity- powered train. When the train is pulled up the first hill, gravitational potential energy is transferred to the train. Once the train begins to descend, the gravitational potential energy gets transferred to kinetic energy, the energy of motion. During the ride, The CFD simulations indicated that the there is a continuous conversion of size and shape of the wake behind the energy back and forth between the leading carriage is critical for the