Department of Mechanical Engineering, IUPUI

Computer Simulations of Wind Tunnel Experiments

Current approach used by engineers in aerodynamic design of cars and airplanes Used for predicting drag and flow characteristics without the need for expensive physical experiments in wind tunnels Actual geometries may be modeled with the help of digital computers without the need for scaleddown physical wind-tunnel models
Aerodynamic Simulations of a Car in Wind Tunnel

Department of Mechanical Engineering, IUPUI

Sketch of the car and wind tunnel for computer simulations

Aerodynamic Simulations of a Car in Wind Tunnel

Department of Mechanical Engineering, IUPUI

Solid model of the car in a wind tunnel created on the computer

Aerodynamic Simulations of a Car in Wind Tunnel

Department of Mechanical Engineering, IUPUI

Computational model of the wind tunnel using the finite element method

Aerodynamic Simulations of a Car in Wind Tunnel

Department of Mechanical Engineering, IUPUI

Cross section of the computation model

Aerodynamic Simulations of a Car in Wind Tunnel

Department of Mechanical Engineering, IUPUI

Stream line of the wind with velocity contour for 30 mph speed

Aerodynamic Simulations of a Car in Wind Tunnel

Department of Mechanical Engineering, IUPUI

Stream line of the wind with velocity contour (zoom in)

Aerodynamic Simulations of a Car in Wind Tunnel

Department of Mechanical Engineering, IUPUI

Velocity vectors of the wind in the middle plane of the car

Aerodynamic Simulations of a Car in Wind Tunnel

Department of Mechanical Engineering, IUPUI

Velocity vector of the wind in the wheel plane of the car

Aerodynamic Simulations of a Car in Wind Tunnel

Department of Mechanical Engineering, IUPUI

Wind pressure contour in the middle plane of the car

Aerodynamic Simulations of a Car in Wind Tunnel

Department of Mechanical Engineering, IUPUI

Wind pressure contour in the wheel plane of the car

Aerodynamic Simulations of a Car in Wind Tunnel

Department of Mechanical Engineering, IUPUI

Summary
Using computer simulations of the wind tunnel different flow speed and geometries may be easily analyzed Drag evaluations may be made by changing the geometries and speeds Engineers in automotive and aircraft industries frequently use such simulations to improve designs Engineers are also involved in the development of computer programs which solve such models
Aerodynamic Simulations of a Car in Wind Tunnel