Technical Paper
Numerical Analysis and Optimization of Heat Transfer for FSAE Radiator for Various Sidepod Designs
2023-11-10
2023-28-0055
Heat transfer optimization is a crucial aspect of the design process for Formula Student race cars, particularly for the radiator, usually housed in a side pod. For the car to operate at peak performance, a well-designed radiator-sidepod system is essential such that it can dissipate heat generated by the engine faster, for the car to run in optimal performance. Testing the car physically for various radiator-sidepod design iterations is a very difficult task, also considering the costs to manufacture the radiator-sidepod setup. The objective of this study is to develop a comprehensive methodology for analysing heat transfer through radiator setup using Computational Fluid Dynamics and to validate it through experimental investigations, to enhance performance and efficiency of the radiator setup. It further explains how to find out its heat transfer efficiency, and to choose the right radiator-sidepod setup, giving optimal performance.