Setting the Standard
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
TECHNOLOGY BODYWORK Setting the standard Based in the heart of NASCAR country, the AeroDyn wind tunnel in Mooresville, North Carolina has been picked out to validate the figures for the new Generation 6 cars The 2013 Lowe’s Chevrolet SS during wind tunnel testing he introduction of the automatic ride height controlled and accurate boundary ‘The cup teams are Generation 6 cars to adjustment that is accurate layer system, and automated extremely sensitive to security,’ NASCAR has meant to the third decimal percentile – ride height control system adds Dickert, ‘so we can’t have us T a reliance on the was in use 24 hours a day, that is accurate to the third be a conduit for one cup team’s expertise of the wind tunnel five days a week, plus extra decimal place. Those are advantage to another cup team’s specialists, and in particular time on Saturday. They’re functionalities that wind tunnels advantage. We provide and the AeroDyn facility in North now running 18 hours a day, five at GM, Ford and Chrysler don’t operate a precision laboratory Carolina that was chosen by days a week, which is – have, all at the same time.’ that meets or exceeds the needs NASCAR to make the final says general manager Steve The move to the new cars, of our customers.’ verification for the bodies ahead Dickert – a more comfortable coupled with the official sanction The Gen-6 cars have of their introduction at Daytona. position to be in, allowing from NASCAR, has meant that required much the same AeroDyn will this year engineers time to maintain the the tunnel is busy enough, and aerodynamic development celebrate its 10th anniversary, facility between sessions. the work is becoming more as previous generations, but having accepted its first paying ‘AeroDyn was the first complicated. Teams have to start have to immediately be on the client in April 2003. Since then, wind tunnel in the United from scratch with their aero pace in a closely contested it has seen business expand States designed specifically figures as there is no baseline environment. Much as Formula rapidly in the first five years, for NASCAR race series,’ says from which to work with the 1 is looking ahead to the before the financial crash in 2008 Dickert. ‘Of late, we have been Gen-6 cars. It has been six years rule changes in 2014 with that led to a gradual decline in able to offer some testing since the last big rule change to apprehension after one of its trade over the next two. capability to OEM manufacturers stockcar racing, and the engineers closest seasons ever in 2012, However, since 2010, that they don’t get in their are, from an aerodynamic point of the pressure is on for the business has picked up once own wind tunnel – very view, pretty much starting afresh. NASCAR teams to get it right again, and its reputation has first time out in 2013. strengthened considerably. ‘It is interesting that the In the company’s early years, “The level of teamwork between level of teamwork between their main tunnel – which NASCAR and manufacturers is NASCAR and manufacturers offers a boundary layer control, is unprecedented with the spinning wheels and an unprecented with the new cars” development of the new cars,’ www.racecar-engineering.com STOCK CAR TECHNOLOGY AERODYNAMICS LOWER LEVEL AERO Some of the advanced aero technology is starting to TECHNOLOGY BODYWORK fi lter down to the lower levels, as Gustafson explains: ‘Last year I ran the number fi ve car in the Busch series and we had a lot of aero support from the top guys. There is a lot you can do still with those cars, but as you move down the ladder there is a lot less understanding of what is going on. Some of the smaller guys will look at what we are doing on the cars and will try to mimic that as best they can.’ Kurt Romberg has the following advice for smaller teams using the old-style cars in Late Models. ‘Everything we did to the old cars in Cup you can do to those cars,’ he explains. ‘Offset the cars, offset the noses, offset the tails, work Wheels are not rotated in A2, the smaller alternative to the main tunnel A last generation car on the move in the main AeroDyn tunnel everything you can to get A2 the roof down and get more The new ‘baby’ tunnel at Aerodyn squarely at them. Aerodyn’s air to the spoiler, use your is notsays as advanced Dickert. as ‘Thethe main development little brother is situatedthe same design as AeroDyn an engineer, the firm can offer 1 per cent to 0.8 per cent, and suspension guys as much tunnel and wheels are not rotated next to the main tunnel and as you can because nose has always been driven byis aimed at a lowerwith level an 85mphOpened: maximum 2006 wind some assistance in guiding decreased fault-related down down-tail up is a great way While Windshear, AeroDyn market. While also full-scale, Scale: 100% NASCAR, but this time it really is speed. It doesType: not have Closedspinning Jet with them along until they better time by a factor of six. to make downforce, plant and Audi may be out of the ‘A2’ runs at a slower speed adaptable the nose, raise the tail – it’s pricea range team of effort.’smaller teams, than the main tunnelwheels, and is active boundaryceiling layer understand the process. In the period since 2006, about the best thing you facilitiesThe like the AeroDyn new A2 tunnelnot is asbuilt advanced to butcontrol can still or rideRolling height Road: control,’ None says AeroDyn has added the following can get.’ tunnel in Mooresville are aimed give teams valuable data. Max Airspeed: 85mph accommodate full-scale cars Salazar. ‘What is does DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME upgrades to the facility: only, with speeds up to 130mph. have is a greatly reduced rate, Since opening for business in Tomorrow. ‘Now we are prettyThe much loads reliant from on 130-200mph‘It is the next bigso step, that smallerbig teamsthing over and here is more April 2003, AeroDyn believes Ride Height System limited to about two inches of Computational Fluid using wind tunnels and thorough use of CFD, but front shock travel – before we Dynamicsare linear (CFD) withfor dynamic buildingpressure. models is privateersexpensive,’ – andwe have by privateersa different set I of that it has tested more racecars Installed in November 2006, had four, so with the CoT we aero‘With development, scale model and testing,explains Romberg. mean‘The next people parameters who are attemptingto work to than than any other independent wind the new system is completely lost half our available room increasingly, top NASCAR the F1 guys.’ to work.’ teamsthere are turning is a significant to this VIRTUALReynolds WIND TUNNELSland speed recordsAlan Gustafsonon salt flats, elaborates tunnel in the world. It has tripled computer operated. To increase But there is still variation, technology to develop Increasingly, CFD is used by teams a little more. ‘It is something number mismatch – for– hereexample the COY is comparedthey to comethe there quite regularly. the amount of data customers testing efficiency, teams provide as Grubb explains: ‘There is the CoT. we are getting into. As CoT in a GM ‘gaffer dazzler’ not really a different body for a half-scale model must be They can gettechnology large gross standardises aero it collect in a single test session, a complete map of heights they every track but they will do fi lters down. We are still doing different components that tested at twice the full-scale advantages fora lot very of development little money work with improved repeatability from would like to run for a given augment the stock shape. speed. By using the full-scale in a very controlledit, a lot of laboratory.’ correlation work and Say if you go to Martinsville Pratt & Miller are helping us you’ll have to have a lot car you can appreciate the This can be essentialwith that.’ to them, more cooling because of the deflections,’ says aerodynamic and, for a seriesWhile were no the NASCAR winner team is CFD CAPABILITIES demands of the brakes. There yet close to the stage where will be more NACA ducts, consultant Gary Romberg. gets a hat orFormula a T-shirt, 1 is nottoday prize with world he management team at the AeroDyn facilty do not consider more open areas to keep the ‘We think that gives a better money, this provesclass super-computers to be a great in Tthe rise of Computational Flow Dynamics (CFD) to be a tyres cool – things like that house, it looks like that is the that you won’t see at a big simulation to what you get on tool when ondirection that kind the windof out is blowing. threat to its wind tunnel business, having investigated with track where there is more It will certainly not be a airfl ow to think about.’ the track. Our normal testing of pocket budget.great shock when a big team teams and manufacturers the viability of providing in-house THE RISE OF CFD is 130mph, but we can run Most of A2’sannounces customers the acquisition come in expertise. Most of the teams and manufacturers have their Formula 1 teams are of a powerful system. other speeds below that, and as first time users and have never own capabilities, and even the smaller NASCAR teams on the S10 www.racecar-engineering.com • June 2008 even a few speeds above it. set foot inside a wind tunnel.