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Profits to come in Automated vehicles

Volvo Cars mixes virtual with real-world testing Alexander Eriksson Timmy Ghiurau

The aerodynamic forces on NASCAR Grand National Race Cars in “drafting” and passing situations are defined, utilizing steady-state wind tunnel test results.

Therefore, the first portion of this study examines available liftoff data in the open literature on a variety of race cars. This data indicates that prototype race cars have a higher lift slope than open wheel race cars due to their larger underbody area. ...Recently, the off-design aerodynamics of race cars has gained increased attention due to several incidents involving race car liftoff. ...In the second part of this study a quarter scale model of an Indy car was tested to generate similar data on an open-wheel race car. Both the previous and current data indicate that race cars under normal racing conditions have sufficient front downforce to eliminate the possibility of liftoff.

The first investigation explored the development of front and rear wing packages for a formula-style race vehicle. After validation of Fluent© 6.3, basic 2D wing designs were optimized using CFD and tested in the wind-tunnel and on the track. ...The second investigation explored the aerodynamics of underbody-equipped bluff bodies in ground-effect flow. Focus was on the influence of multiple surrounding elements (wheels) on underbody diffuser performance.

The race is on for rights to a significant chunk of the 5.9-GHz spectrum, bandwidth that could be vital for V2X communications.

An analytical study is presented to determine the effects of wing aerodynamics on various racecar performance characteristics and on lap times for different types of tracks. ...The North Carolina State University (NCSU) Formula SAE car is used as the racing vehicle for this study. The study integrates design and analysis methods for airfoils and wings with performance-simulation methods for the racecar. ...A single wing is first used to examine the effects of aerodynamic downforce on car performance without considerations of the fore-and-aft location of the aerodynamic center of pressure.

Experiments on race track have been carried out to test the car performances improvement. The numerical calculations have been done using a 3D numerical code. ...The developed procedure has allowed to define the airbox geometry to be tested on race track. Tests show that there is a great improvement of car performances in comparison to the ones obtained with the unmodified airbox which originally equipped the car. ...The design of a “high-performance” airbox for a naturally aspirated internal combustion engine (ICE) of a car racing in prototype sport competitions is described. A computational approach to achieve optimum airbox geometry in terms of fluid dynamical losses reduction and engine volumetric efficiency improvement is proposed.

Professional driving simulators can be successfully exploited to shorten the traditional design-prototype testing-production process relative to a new race car. Consider as a real example the Dallara 2014 Super Formula (“SF”) race car; built in 2013 at the Dallara factory in Varano de' Melegari, Parma, Italy and scheduled to race in Japan in 2014. ...Consider as a real example the Dallara 2014 Super Formula (“SF”) race car; built in 2013 at the Dallara factory in Varano de' Melegari, Parma, Italy and scheduled to race in Japan in 2014. Professional race drivers from the SF series have already been conducting multiple test sessions with the Dallara Simulator (Dec 2012), working together with vehicle dynamicists, aerodynamicists, designers, structural engineers and engine manufacturers, in an effort to evaluate and validate kinematics, steering geometry, aerodynamics, packaging, cooling, engine performance, as well as monocoque stiffness and minor installation details, even before the design had started. ...The real car was found to be close in performance and feeling with respect to the virtual car developed on the simulator.

Track testing of race cars is expensive and racing series typically limit the amount of testing that can be done on circuit tracks. ...Because of this, we saw the need to develop a computer model that could simulate a car on a track with any specified surface roughness and with aerodynamic loading acting on the vehicle. ...Vehicle parameters specific to an IMSA GTP car including aerodynamic data from wind tunnel testing and nonlinear shock characteristics were used in this study.

CFD analysis of the complex separated flows associated with a race car would typically require extensive resources. Through the design of aerodynamics for a Formula SAE race car, this paper illustrates the use of less extensive CFD along with the wind tunnel as a tool that reduces design time. ...Through the design of aerodynamics for a Formula SAE race car, this paper illustrates the use of less extensive CFD along with the wind tunnel as a tool that reduces design time. ...It is also shown that the design of an effective aerodynamics package can be accomplished with these fairly simple techniques. The improvements in lap times, recorded during testing on a FSAE type race track are presented.

There is very little published data available to enable the potential aerodynamic impact of the addition of a rear mounted wing on a racing salon car to be predicted with any confidence. A series of wind tunnel tests using a generic scale model of a typical racing saloon are reported in which the aerodynamic load changes as the result of introducing a simple rectangular planform untwisted wing into the region above the boot deck were measured for a range of wing positions and angle of incidence.

The exact understanding of race bike performance for race engineers, riders and race bike development companies is quite difficult as the movement of a race bike and a rider is a complex combination of various physical effects. ...The aim of the present work is to approach the understanding of race bike performance from a scientific point of view. The actual assessment of race bike performance is mainly data-driven and based on the comparison of racing lines and single measurement channels for different laps and race events. ...They are a rare selection of professionals which can ride race bikes on the absolute physical limits in the longitudinal and lateral direction. The exact understanding of race bike performance for race engineers, riders and race bike development companies is quite difficult as the movement of a race bike and a rider is a complex combination of various physical effects.

The influence of a rear-mounted wing on the aerodynamics of two generic race car configurations was investigated. Both body-surface pressure and vehicle lift data indicate that the wing/body interaction is large and that, by proper placement of the wing over the body, total downforce coefficients that are considerably larger than the sum of the isolated downforce of the wing and body can be obtained.

Because the aerodynamic loads, which are acting on the high-speed vehicles, play a significant part concerning the dynamic behaviour of the latter, the aerodynamics is one of the most important design considerations for cars such as Indy or Formula 1. ...The goal of this study is to investigate the contributions of the main structural components of a racing car on total drag using the facilities offered by a professional CFD code. The results show solutions for the optimization of the body of vehicles from an aerodynamic point of view, even in a very early design stage, the design process being accelerated.

Computational simulations were performed with a closed wheel race car in an 11.0 m2 adaptive wall, a 16.8 m2 open jet, and a 29.7 m2 slotted wall test section, corresponding to model blockage ratios of 20.9%, 13.7%, and 7.7%, respectively.

The paper describes the most important items in the aerodynamic research related to the development of a racing car. The methodologies of scale model wind tunnel testing and track testing are analyzed. In detail these are applied to the development of the Alfa Romeo 156 ST. ...The wind tunnel used is described as well as the car instrumentation in the track tests. A comparative analysis is performed between model and full scale aerodynamic results.

Hands-On Race Car Engineer looks at every part of the process required to make a car better than its competitors. ...Drivers will gain a better understanding of the dynamics of the vehicle. Race engineers will better understand the practical implications of set-up. Design engineers will gain insight into practical applications of their designs. ...In short, this book will help racing professionals and enthusiasts learn to recognize why they won, or lost a race - key information to continually improving and reaching the winner's circle.

From driving to car preparation to dealing with sponsors, The Successful Race Car Driver details the lessons that need to be learned to succeed in today's racing environment.

The method has been applied to an imaginary race car. Variables included camber, ride height, ride pitch, wing angle, Gurney Flap length, and gear ratios.