Introduction
TEC452 Home
Aero Index
Introduction
Aerodynamic Theory
Wind Tunnel
Computational Fluid Dynamics
Vehicle Aerodynamics
Aerodynamics is the study of the forces generated by the flow of
air around a solid object
- Aerodynamics impacts the automobile in many ways
- Fuel Consumption (pollution)
- Styling
- Noise & Vibration
- Control and Handling
- Fuel Consumption
- Drag forces increase exponentially with velocity
- More fuel is consumed to counter aerodynamic forces than any other factor
- Better air flow management reduces fuel consumption and pollution
- Styling
- Aerodynamically efficient body surfaces may interfere with the styling
intent
- The consumers may have preferences for aerodynamic features
- Noise & Vibration
- Air flow can create wind noise
- Turbulent airflow can deposit dirt on windows and automobile’s body
(e.g., rear window)
- Turbulent airflow can cause undesirable vibrations
- Control and Handling
Aerodynamic forces
Lift - dangerous at high speeds
Drag - decreases performance
Down force - better handling
Side force - better cornering
- Aerodynamic forces can be optimized for local effect
TEC452 Home
Aero Index
Introduction
Aerodynamic Theory
Wind Tunnel
Computational Fluid Dynamics
Vehicle Aerodynamics