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18 pages, 13624 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Wake Structures and Surface Patterns of the DrivAer Notchback Car Model under Side Wind Conditions

by Dirk Wieser, Christian Navid Nayeri and Christian Oliver Paschereit

Energies 2020, 13(2), 320; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13020320 - 09 Jan 2020

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 3823

The flow field topology of passenger cars considerably changes under side wind conditions. This changes the surface pressure, aerodynamic force, and drag and performance of a vehicle. In this study, the flow field of a generic passenger vehicle is investigated based on three [...] Read more.

The flow field topology of passenger cars considerably changes under side wind conditions. This changes the surface pressure, aerodynamic force, and drag and performance of a vehicle. In this study, the flow field of a generic passenger vehicle is investigated based on three different side wind angles. The study aimed to identify vortical structures causing changes in the rear pressure distribution. The notchback section of the DrivAer model is evaluated on a scale of 1:4. The wind tunnel tests are conducted in a closed section with a splitter plate at a Reynolds number of 3 million. The side wind angles are

0^{\circ}

,

5^{\circ}

, and

10^{\circ}

. The three-dimensional and time-averaged flow field downstream direction of the model is captured by a stereoscopic particle image velocimetry system performed at several measurement planes. These flow field data are complemented by surface flow visualizations performed on the entire model. The combined approaches provide a comprehensive insight into the flow field at the frontal and side wind inflows. The flow without side wind is almost symmetrical. Longitudinal vortices are evident along the downstream direction of the A-pillar, the C-pillars, the middle part of the rear window, and the base surface. In addition, there is a ring vortex downstream of the vehicle base. The side wind completely changes the flow field. The asymmetric topology is dominated by the windward C-pillar vortex, the leeward A-pillar vortex, and other base vortices. Based on the location of the vortices and the pressure distributions measured in earlier studies, it can be concluded that the vortices identified in the wake are responsible for the local minima of pressure, increasing the vehicle drag. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Vehicle Aerodynamics)

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22 pages, 7871 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Side Spoilers on the Aerodynamic Properties of a Sports Car

by Krzysztof Kurec and Janusz Piechna

Energies 2019, 12(24), 4697; https://doi.org/10.3390/en12244697 - 10 Dec 2019

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 6502

Abstract

This paper discusses the capabilities of side spoilers to improve the aerodynamic properties of a sports car exposed to a non-zero yaw angle flow. In such conditions, the aerodynamic drag and lift both increase with the introduction of a side force and a [...] Read more.

This paper discusses the capabilities of side spoilers to improve the aerodynamic properties of a sports car exposed to a non-zero yaw angle flow. In such conditions, the aerodynamic drag and lift both increase with the introduction of a side force and a yawing moment, which contribute to the decrease of the car’s handling properties and force the car to change its driving path. Elements mounted on the side of the car make it possible to obtain an asymmetric aerodynamic load distribution and generate additional forces that can be used to counter these effects. The performance of the side spoilers was analyzed at yaw angles ranging from 0° to 15° using the results of numerical calculations. It was established that the side spoilers made it possible to generate at low yaw angles aerodynamic forces that exceeded those caused by a crosswind. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Vehicle Aerodynamics)

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14 pages, 14654 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Flow Angularity Investigations in an Automotive Slotted Wall Wind Tunnel

by Emil Ljungskog, Simone Sebben and Alexander Broniewicz

Energies 2019, 12(23), 4575; https://doi.org/10.3390/en12234575 - 30 Nov 2019

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3841

Abstract

The Volvo Cars aerodynamic wind tunnel has had a vortical flow angularity pattern in the test section since its original commissioning in 1986. The vortical flow nature persisted after an upgrade in 2006, when the fan was replaced and a moving ground system [...] Read more.

The Volvo Cars aerodynamic wind tunnel has had a vortical flow angularity pattern in the test section since its original commissioning in 1986. The vortical flow nature persisted after an upgrade in 2006, when the fan was replaced and a moving ground system was introduced. It has been hypothesized that the cause for this flow angularity pattern was leakages around the heat exchanger installed in the settling chamber. The present paper tests this hypothesis by measuring the flow angularity in the test section before and after sealing the leakages. The findings show that the leakage path around the heat exchanger does not influence the flow angularity, and that the current pattern is different compared to the commissioning after the upgrade. This prompted an investigation of the influence from the turbulence screens, which were changed after the upgrade commissioning. These investigations indicate that the probable cause of the vortical flow angularity pattern is residual swirl from the fan. Force measurements on a reference car with and without extra induced flow angularity show that the flow angles measured in the tunnel for regular operation are most likely small enough to not have a significant effect on the measured aerodynamic forces. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Vehicle Aerodynamics)

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19 pages, 3060 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Coupled 1D–3D Numerical Method for Buoyancy-Driven Heat Transfer in a Generic Engine Bay

by Blago Minovski, Lennart Löfdahl, Jelena Andrić and Peter Gullberg

Energies 2019, 12(21), 4156; https://doi.org/10.3390/en12214156 - 31 Oct 2019

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2184

Abstract

Energy efficient vehicles are essential for a sustainable society and all car manufacturers are working on improved energy efficiency in their fleets. In this process, an optimization of aerodynamics and thermal management is most essential. The objective of this work is to improve [...] Read more.

Energy efficient vehicles are essential for a sustainable society and all car manufacturers are working on improved energy efficiency in their fleets. In this process, an optimization of aerodynamics and thermal management is most essential. The objective of this work is to improve the energy efficiency using encapsulated heat generating units by focusing on predicting temperature distribution inside an engine bay. The overall objective is to make an estimate of the generated heat inside an encapsulation and consecutively use this heat for climatization purposes. The study presents a detailed numerical procedure for predicting buoyancy-driven flow and resulting natural convection inside a simplified vehicle underhood during thermal soak and cool-down events. The procedure employs a direct coupling of one-dimensional and three-dimensional methods to carry out transient one-dimensional thermal analysis in the engine solids synchronized with sequences of steady-state three-dimensional simulations of the fluid flow. The boundary heat transfer coefficients and averaged fluid temperatures in the boundary cells, computed in the three-dimensional fluid flow model, are provided as input data to the one-dimensional analysis to compute the resulting surface temperatures which are then fed back as updated boundary conditions in the flow simulation. The computed temperatures of the simplified engine and the exhaust manifolds during the thermal soak and cool-down period are in favorable agreement with experimental measurements. The present study illustrates the capabilities of the coupled thermal-flow methodology to conduct accurate and fast computations of buoyancy-driven heat transfer. The methodology can be potentially applied to design and analysis of multiple demand vehicle thermal management systems in hybrid and electrical vehicles. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Vehicle Aerodynamics)

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29 pages, 49285 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigation of Wheelhouse Flow Interaction and the Influence of Lateral Wheel Displacement

by Eleanor Rajaratnam and Duncan Walker

Energies 2019, 12(17), 3340; https://doi.org/10.3390/en12173340 - 29 Aug 2019

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4683

Abstract

The aim of this research was to improve the understanding of the complex flow features found around a wheel and wheelhouse and to examine how the lateral displacement of the wheel affects these features and the production of exhibited pressures and forces. A [...] Read more.

The aim of this research was to improve the understanding of the complex flow features found around a wheel and wheelhouse and to examine how the lateral displacement of the wheel affects these features and the production of exhibited pressures and forces. A bespoke rotating wheel rig and accompanying wheelhouse with a fully-pressure-tapped wheel arch was designed and manufactured at Loughborough University. Wind tunnel tests were performed where force and pressure measurements and Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) data were obtained. The experimental data was used to validate unsteady CFD predictions where a k-

ω

SST Improved Delayed Detached Eddy Simulation (IDDES) turbulence model was used in STAR-CCM+ (10.04.009, Siemens). The CFD showed good agreement with all trends of the experimental results providing a validated numerical methodology. For both methodologies, a lower amount of wheelhouse drag was found generated when the wheel was rotating. However, the CFD showed that whilst this was the case, total configuration drag had increased. This was attributed to an increase of the wheel and axle drag, illustrated by the change in separation over the wheel itself when located within a wheelhouse and so overcompensating the reduction in body and stand drag. Differences in vortex locations when comparing to previously-attained results were due to differences in housing geometry, such as blockage in the cavity or housing dimensions. Experimental and computational results showed that up until a 10 mm displacement outboard of the housing, overall drag decreased. The reduction in housing drag was credited to a reduction in the size of outboard longitudinal vortex structures. This led to the lateral width of the shear layer across the housing side being narrower. Overall, this study identified that there were potential benefits to be gained when offsetting a wheel outboard of the longitudinal edge of a model housing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Vehicle Aerodynamics)

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14 pages, 7549 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of the Multiple Reference Frame Approach for the Modelling of an Axial Cooling Fan

by Randi Franzke, Simone Sebben, Tore Bark, Emil Willeson and Alexander Broniewicz

Energies 2019, 12(15), 2934; https://doi.org/10.3390/en12152934 - 31 Jul 2019

Cited by 34 | Viewed by 3582

Abstract

The modelling of rotating parts, such as axial fans, is one of the main challenges of current CFD simulations of industrial applications. Different methods are available, but the most commonly used is the multiple reference frame (MRF) method. This paper investigates how different [...] Read more.

The modelling of rotating parts, such as axial fans, is one of the main challenges of current CFD simulations of industrial applications. Different methods are available, but the most commonly used is the multiple reference frame (MRF) method. This paper investigates how different flow properties, such as temperature, pressure and velocity, develop when passing through the MRF domain. The results are compared to the more physical rigid body motion (RBM) approach. It is found that the MRF method transports the upstream properties with the streamlines of the relative velocity from the upstream to the downstream interface. This leads to a non-physical rotation by an angle that is dependent on the length of the domain and the ratio between axial and tangential velocity in the MRF region. The temperature field is more affected than the flow field, since wake structures from upstream obstacles are destroyed due to the wake of the blades. Downstream structures affect the flow in the upstream region by an increase in static pressure, which causes the streamlines in the MRF zone to slow down. Depending on the size of the obstacle, this can cause substantial distortions in the upstream and downstream flow field. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Vehicle Aerodynamics)

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17 pages, 5916 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of Subjective Qualitative Judgement of Passenger Vehicle High Speed Drivability due to Aerodynamics

by Arun Kumar, Simone Sebben, Erik Sällström, Bengt J.H. Jacobson and Alexander Broniewicz

Energies 2019, 12(14), 2839; https://doi.org/10.3390/en12142839 - 23 Jul 2019

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3947

Abstract

The flow created by the shape of a vehicle and by environmental conditions, such as cross-winds, will influence the dynamics of a vehicle. The objective of this paper is to correlate the driver’s subjective judgement of drivability with quantities which are measurable during [...] Read more.

The flow created by the shape of a vehicle and by environmental conditions, such as cross-winds, will influence the dynamics of a vehicle. The objective of this paper is to correlate the driver’s subjective judgement of drivability with quantities which are measurable during a vehicle test. For this purpose, a sedan vehicle, fitted with different aerodynamic external devices that create disturbances in the flow field, were assessed on a test track. These configurations intend to result in substandard straight line drivability. The aerodynamic devices investigated are an inverted wing, an inverted wing with an asymmetric flat plate and an asymmetric air curtain attached under the bumper. The devices generate more lift and asymmetric forces resulting in increased vehicle sensitivity to external disturbances. Pairs of configurations with and without bumper side-kicks are also tested. The side-kicks create a defined flow separation which helps to stabilize the flow and increase drivability. Plots of mean and standard deviation and ride diagram of lateral acceleration, yaw velocity, steering angle and steering torque are used to understand vehicle behaviour for the different configurations. Ride diagrams are used to visualize vehicle excitations with transient events separated from the stationary signal. The range of the measured quantities for understanding the drivability is not predicted in advance and it turns out that the error margins of the measurements are smaller than the measurement uncertainty of the Inertia Measurement Unit. Although the outcome lacks the ability to objectively quantify subjective judgements, it provides a useful qualitative assessment of the problem as the trends agree well with the subjective judgement of the driver. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Vehicle Aerodynamics)

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Review

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12 pages, 2401 KiB

Open AccessReview

Aerodynamic and Thermal Modelling of Disc Brakes—Challenges and Limitations

by Alexey Vdovin and Gaël Le Gigan

Energies 2020, 13(1), 203; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13010203 - 01 Jan 2020

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3624

Abstract

The brake system is a critical component for any passenger vehicle as its task is to convert the kinetic and potential energy of the vehicle into heat, allowing the vehicle to stop. Heat energy generated must be dissipated into the surroundings in order [...] Read more.

The brake system is a critical component for any passenger vehicle as its task is to convert the kinetic and potential energy of the vehicle into heat, allowing the vehicle to stop. Heat energy generated must be dissipated into the surroundings in order to prevent brake overheating. Traditionally, a lot of experimental testing is performed to ensure correct brake operation under all possible load scenarios. However, with the development of simulation techniques, many vehicle manufacturers today are looking into partially or completely replacing physical experiments by virtual testing. Such a transition has several substantial benefits, but simultaneously a lot of challenges and limitations need to be addressed and understood for reliable and accurate simulation results. This paper summarizes many of such challenges, discusses the effects that can and cannot be captured, and gives a broader picture of the issues faced when conducting numerical brake cooling simulations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Vehicle Aerodynamics)

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