VEHICLE

AERODYNAMICS
• Theory

• Aerodynamic forces and moments

• Reduction of Aerodynamic Forces

 THEORY
• Bernoulli Equation

• A1<A2
• V1>V2
• Ps1<Ps2
 THEORY
Applications of the Bernoulli Principal in Airfoil
Because both the top part
and the bottom part of
the plane are designed
differently, this allows
for the air on the bottom
to move slower, which
creates more pressure on
the bottom, and allows
for the air on the top to
move faster, which
creates less pressure.
 THEORY
Applications of the Bernoulli Principal in Vehicles

A car is shaped like an airfoil (like a wing of a bird or

plane). As the car accelerates the air moves faster around
it and you get a vertical force that lifts it from the ground.
As the uplifting force increases, it reaches a point where
the force of gravitation gets negated and the tip of the car
gets lifted up.
 THEORY
Applications of the Bernoulli Principal in Vehicles

When passing a truck on

the highway, your car
tends to veer toward it.
The reason is the same
the high velocity of the
air between the car and
the truck creates a region
of lower pressure, and the
vehicles are pushed
together by greater
pressure on the outside.
 THEORY
Boundary layer

Boundary layer thickness defined as the distance away from

the surface where the local velocity reaches to 99% of the
free-stream velocity
 THEORY
Laminar and Turbulent boundary layers

Re=2x105-3x106

• Boundary layers may be either Laminar, or Turbulent depending

on the value of the Reynolds number.
• A laminar boundary layer is one where the flow takes place in
layers, i.e., each layer slides past the adjacent layers. This is in
contrast to Turbulent Boundary Layers shown in Figure above,
where there is an intense agitation.
 THEORY
Reynolds number
One way is to measure a fluid’s
resistance to flow when an
external force is applied. This
is dynamic viscosity. The
other way is to measure the
resistive flow of a fluid under the
weight of gravity. The result
is kinematic viscosity.

in which V is the mean flow velocity, L length of object, ρ fluid

density, μ dynamic viscosity, and ν kinematic viscosity.
 THEORY
Separation of Flow

Flow separation occurs when a stream of gas or liquid flowing past a

body separates from the body’s surface and forms a region of eddies.
In aerodynamics, flow separation can often result in increased drag,
particularly pressure drag which is caused by the pressure differential
between the front and rear surfaces of the object as it travels through
the air
 THEORY
Separation of Flow
 THEORY
Separation of Flow
As the speed of the
vehicle rises the
transition point tends
to move further to the
front, see Fig.
14.10(b), therefore less
of the boundary layer
will be lamina and
more will become
turbulent; accordingly
this will correspond to
a higher level of skin
friction.
 THEORY
Drag coefficients of typical passenger cars
 THEORY
Drag coefficients of different shapes
 AERODYNAMIC FORCES AND MOMENTS
The body shape & size of the vehicle must have acceptable
aerodynamic characteristics. There are three forces acting on a
vehicle.
• Fd : Drag force of air in the direction of motion
• Fs : Side force or cross wind force
• Fl : Lift force or down force
As these forces are not acting at center of gravity, they cause
moments as follows
• Mx : Rolling moment
• My : Pitching moment
• Mz : Yawing moment
 AERODYNAMIC FORCES AND MOMENTS
Lift force
Yawing
moment

Rolling Pitching
moment moment
Side
Drag force force

Drag force: Rolling moment:

Lift force: Pitching moment:
Side force: Yawing moment:

https://www.ques10.com/p/11737/explain-various-aerodynamic-forces-and-moments-act/
 AERODYNAMIC FORCES AND MOMENTS
Aerodynamic lift:
• It is the vertical component of the resultant force caused
by the pressure distribution on the vehicle body.
• The aerodynamic lift and pitching moment are undesirable
effects.
• The aerodynamic lift tends to reduce the pressure between
the tires and the ground.
• This causes the loss of steering on the front axle and loss
of traction on the rear axle.
 AERODYNAMIC FORCES AND MOMENTS
Side force:
• The imbalance of the wheel due to centrifugal force acts on
the vehicle during turning which produces a side thrust.
Yawing movement:
• Yaw is the left to right motion of the nose of a car on its
vertical Z - axis.
Rolling movement:
• Roll is the side-to-side motion of a car about an axis that
extends from the front to back of the vehicle.
Pitching movement:
• Pitch is the front-and-rear motion of a car about an axis
that extends from the left to right of a vehicle
 AERODYNAMIC FORCES AND MOMENTS
Aerodynamic drag:.
The total aerodynamic drag of a vehicle include many factors
such as:
• Profile drag (57%)
• Induced drag (8%)
• Skin friction (10%)
• Interference drag (15%)
• Cooling and ventilation drag (10%).
 AERODYNAMIC FORCES AND MOMENTS

Profile Drag:

•The profile drag depends upon the longitudinal section of

the vehicle body , and plays the most important part as its
contribution is the maximum.

•A careful choice of body profile, essential for low drag,

requires streamlines to be continuous and separation of
boundary layers with its attendant vortices to be avoided.
 AERODYNAMIC FORCES AND MOMENTS
Induced Drag:
• A vehicle body produces accelerated air flow and the
induced drag is caused by the vortices formed at the sides of
the vehicle travelling downwards.
Surface Drag:
• The surface or friction drag contribute substantially. It is due
to the friction of the layers of air passing over the outside
surface of the vehicle body. The friction losses on the
boundary layer and the surface roughness has considerable
effect on surface drag.
 REDUCTION OF AERODYNAMIC DRAG FORCES
Vortex Generators

This vortex generator on the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR is like

those used on airplane wings; it reduces drag and increases the
downforce generated by the rear spoiler. Vortex generators are most
often used to delay flow separation
(Photo courtesy of Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc.)
 REDUCTION OF AERODYNAMIC DRAG FORCES
Rear Diffuser

It works by accelerating the velocity of the airflow underneath the

car. The pressure under the car is affected by the diffuser so that it
can expand back to ambient in the diffuser, as the car moves through
the air. It uses Bernoulli's principle, such that the pressure decreases
while the velocity increases. Since the pressure below the car is
lower than on the side and above the car, downforce is produced if
implemented correctly
 REDUCTION OF AERODYNAMIC DRAG FORCES
Spoiler

A rear spoiler is designed to change the flow of air over the rear of the
vehicle. This change in air flow increases downforce on the rear of the
vehicle to help improve traction in an effort to prevent sliding while
cornering.
 REDUCTION OF AERODYNAMIC DRAG FORCES
Tyre Cover

• The flow that originates from the rear wheel has a major impact on
the air flow in the diffuser and by restricting this flow some interesting
results can be obtained.
• This case simply be performed by covering the rear tyre and
restricting the air flow on the rear tyre zone.
 REDUCTION OF AERODYNAMIC DRAG FORCES
Tyre Cover

The Air Ducts controls the airstream. It reduces the air resistance of the
body in an astonishingly simple, yet highly effective way.