Aerodynamic Optimization of a Formula SAE Body

Paul G. Kirchner and Dr. Gary Mead

Department of Automotive Engineering Technology, Minnesota State University Mankato

RESULTS

INTRODUCTION
Formula SAE is the largest collegiate engineering competition in the nation organized by the Society of Automotive Engineers. The competition challenges engineering programs from around
the world to design and manufacture a small Formula-style race-car. The design process includes all components of the automotive industry, including research, development, marketing,
and financial management. For the 2012 competition in an effort to increase cornering speeds
and cooling system reliability, MSU-Mankatos body was aerodynamically analyzed using computational fluid dynamics. The sidepod which houses the vehicles radiator, was altered focusing
mainly on the effects of inlet size, length and shroud geometry. An undertray, which mount to
the vehicles underbody, was designed utilizing diffusers to increase downforce, the vertical
load provided by aerodynamic forces, as opposed to mass. The diffuser sections were simulated focusing on the effects of inlet area, ramp angle, and length.

Figure 6. Downforce per diffuser angle.

Figure 7. Drag force per diffuser angle

Figure 4. Streamlines with velocity profile provide simulated flow visualization.

Figure 1. Final CAD model of MSUMankatos 2012 Formula SAE Car.

OBJECTIVES

Inlet Size (in)

Inlet Area (in^2)
Inlet/Rad (%)

Sidepod A
8.45 in x 11 in
93.6 in^2
80%

Sidepod B
8.45 in x 15.25 in
120.3 in^2
100%

Sidepod C
11.5 in 18.5 in
170 in^2
145%

Flow Rate (kg/s)

Drag Force (lbf)
Lift Force (lbf)

0.5438
4.74
0.165

0.5817
5.22
0.14

0.644
6.6
0.498

Table 1. Size, flow rate, drag force, and lift force from 3 sidepod designs.

To analyze fluid dynamics turbulence models accuracy in calculating qualitative and quantitative data.

To understand the significance sidepod size and geometry play in engine heat management.

The sidepods inlet area was altered between 80% and 145% of the radiator core size to analyze
the effects the turbulent air behind the wheel has on the quality of air the radiator is receiving.

The pressure drop across the radiator was calculated using experimentally derived data, from
which a 4th order polynomial as a function of velocity was derived. Using this data and coefficients were calculated and set for a porous baffle interface Eq. 1

To understand the significance diffuser angle, throat positioning, and length play in undertray performance.

Each sidepod was initially analyzed alone to ensure a maximum cell count of 500,000 cells to keep
the simulation within the computers computational limits.

To optimize the vehicles undertray and sidepod design to produce the highest obtainable

Figure 9. Final undertray v. no undertray downforce plot

Using previous research from several sources as

a starting point, multiple undertrays were designed varying the diffuser angle from 10 to 16.

The center of pressure was set at the vehicles center of gravity in the for-aft position. (Figure 5)

After the initial undertray designs, it was evident that flow separation occurred near 15.
(Figure 7)

Several design changes followed after verifying the optimum angle, altering the inlet area 30%,
adding vortex generators, and the final addition of a keel nearly doubling the downforce.

The final undertray has a predicted gain of 49 lbs of downforce, and a decrease of 14 lbs drag.

The final design has been rapid prototyped using fused deposition modeling. The 1/8 scale
model will be used for wind tunnel validation, as well as flow visualization validation using a helium bubble generator.

REFRENCES

(1)

METHODS

Figure 8. Streamline and pressure contour on final body.

A polynomial was fit for the fan using the manufacturer given flow rates and pressures, this fan curve was then set for a fan interface within the simulation. Eq. 2

(2)

CD-Adapcos Star+CCM Computational Fluid Dynamic software, with internal mesh generation

Cebeci, Tuncer, and J Cousteix. Modeling And Computation of Boundary-layer Flows: Laminar, Turbulent And Transitional Boundary Layers In Incompressible And Compressible Flows. 2nd rev. and extended ed. Long Beach, Calif.: Horizons Publishing , 2005.
Cooper, K. R. Bertenyi, T. Dutil, G. Syms, J. Sovran, G. The Aerodynamic Performance of Automotive Underbody
Diffusers, SAE 980030, 1998
Katz, Joseph. Race Car Aerodynamics: Designing for Speed. Cambridge, MA, USA: R. Bentley, 1995.

Due to the complexity of a Formula SAE cars geometry, initial simulations were run using
a simplified bluff body, and symmetry plane implemented along the vehicles centerline
to minimize the computational fluid domain.

ACKNOWLEDMENTS

All initial simulations were run with an inlet velocity set to 35 mph, the average speed of
a Formula SAE vehicle during an endurance run.

Wind tunnel validation using ELDs model 402 wind tunnel.

I would like to thank the Northstar STEM Alliance for their funding contribution.

Helium Bubble Generator for flow visualization validation.

I would also like to proudly thank Dr. Bruce Jones, Dr. Gary Mead, Dr. Jeffrey Doom, Kevin Schull,
and Winston Sealy for all their help and support throughout this project.

Figure 2. Engineering Laboratory Design 402 Wind Tunnel

Figure 3. Front half of 1/8 scale model for validation

Figure 5. Pressure contour of undertray, showing center of pressure.