Drag reduction mechanisms on a generic square-back vehicle using an optimised yaw-insensitive base cavity
Artikel i vetenskaplig tidskrift, 2021

Regulations on global greenhouse gas emission are driving the development of more energy-efficient passenger vehicles. One of the key factors influencing energy consumption is the aerodynamic drag where a large portion of the drag is associated with the base wake. Environmental conditions such as wind can increase the drag associated with the separated base flow. This paper investigates an optimised yaw-insensitive base cavity on a square-back vehicle in steady crosswind. The test object is a simplified model scale bluff body, the Windsor geometry, with wheels. The model is tested experimentally with a straight cavity and a tapered cavity. The taper angles have been optimised numerically to improve the robustness to side wind in relation to drag. Base pressures and tomographic Particle Image Velocimetry of the full wake were measured in the wind tunnel. The results indicate that a cavity decreases the crossflow within the wake, increasing base pressure, therefore lowering drag. The additional optimised cavity tapering further reduces crossflow and results in a smaller wake with less losses. The overall wake unsteadiness is reduced by the cavity by minimising mixing in the shear layers as well as dampening wake motion. However, the coherent wake motions, indicative of a balanced wake, are increased by the investigated cavities.

Författare

Magnus Urquhart

Chalmers, Mekanik och maritima vetenskaper, Fordonsteknik och autonoma system

Max Varney

Loughborough University

Simone Sebben

Chalmers, Mekanik och maritima vetenskaper, Fordonsteknik och autonoma system

Martin Passmore

Loughborough University

Experiments in Fluids

0723-4864 (ISSN) 1432-1114 (eISSN)

Vol. 62 12 241

Ökad energieffektivitet genom kontroll och reduktion av det inducerade motståndet

Energimyndigheten (2016-008677/43328-1), 2016-12-01 -- 2019-12-30.

Ämneskategorier

Farkostteknik

Energisystem

Strömningsmekanik och akustik

DOI

10.1007/s00348-021-03334-0

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Senast uppdaterat

2021-11-25