Numerical Study: The Influence of Front Wing Pressure Distribution on Wheel Wake Aerodynamics

• Autor(a) principal: Martins, Daniel Filipe Teixeira
• Data de Publicação: 2021
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.6/11677
• topic: Ground Effect; Aerodynamics; Breakdown; Computational Fluid Dynamics; Detached Eddy Simulation; Formula One; Numerical Study; Spalart-Allmaras; Transient Flow; Turbulence; Unsteady; Vortex; Wheel; Wing; Domínio/Área Científica::Engenharia e Tecnologia::Engenharia Aeronáutica

The present study focuses on investigating the aerodynamical interaction between a threeelement wing and wheel in ground effect, regarding the Formula One regulations change set for 2022 - amongst the changes is the declutter of the front wing, consequently reducing its complexity. This was accomplished by conducting a three-dimensional computational analysis, using a Detached Eddy Simulation approach, on a simplified one-quarter CAD model, built from the ground up following the regulations imposed by the FIA. The main goal was to examine how changing the front wing pressure distribution affected wheel aerodynamics, which will then influence the feeding process of the underbody, due to their proximity and subsequent flow interaction. This was done by varying the angle of attack of the second flap on the wing. The CFD study was divided into two sections: a flow analysis and a force analysis. On the flow analysis, one focused on determining the location and intensity of flow energy losses; visualizing the flow structures around the wing and wheel; and, where possible, identifying and comprehending the mechanisms behind the observed flow phenomena. On the force analysis, the transient variations of the force coefficients were examined to better understand how the unsteadiness of the vortices influenced the wing’s performance. The flow investigation indicated that the wheel wake structure is significantly influenced by the wing’s flap configuration, showing different shapes to the different geometries tested. This is mainly due to the fact that different flap configurations produce different upwash flow fields, leading to a separation point variation on top of the wheel. This variation then affects the downwash observed behind the central region of the wheel, for a vertical plane. The force investigation showed that the location of the region of instability influences the behaviour of the transient oscillations, regarding the forces acting on the wing: bearing in mind that vortex breakdown occurs near the wing’s trailing edge, higher drag force fluctuations are detected, when compared to downforce fluctuations – a shared pattern across the geometries tested.