Monday, May 16, 2011

Virtual Wind Tunnel: Side View and Cross Section

Find below the side view and the cross section of the CFD "virtual wind tunnel" simulation of a Kyosho Mini-Z MR03 Mazda 787b:
The side view shows the pressure coefficient around the car and on a mid car imaginary vertical panel. According to the results of the model simulation, high pressure areas (in red, orange) develop at the front of the car and over the top of the rear wing. Low pressure areas (in dark, light blue) are observed on the side panels, next to the front wheels, on top of the cockpit cabin and underneath the rear wing.
The cross section shows the pressure coefficient on the mid car imaginary vertical panel, and gives an idea of  what goes on inside the car underneath the body shell. The green color there is just reflecting the chassis, motor mount, etc. boundaries, that is, the pressure coefficient there is zero given that those areas (volumes) corrrespond to the chassis body. There is no air flowing there.

The interesting result, according to the simulation, is the relatively low pressure (light blue) areas that are shown in the remaining parts of the volume underneath the shell body.

This simulation shows the car racing at 10 m/s (36 km/h).

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