Automotive Aerodynamics

Automotive aerodynamics is the study of the aerodynamics of road vehicles. Its main goals are reducing drag and wind noise, minimizing noise emission, and preventing undesired lift forces and other causes of aerodynamic instability at high speeds. Air is also considered a fluid in this case. For some classes of racing vehicles, it may also be important to produce downforce to improve traction and thus cornering abilities.

Objectives:

Describe three factors important to the performance of a CO2-powered rocket car
Calculate the area of a solid’s planar face
Calculate the volume of a solid, and, when given the density, calculate the mass
Create a new assembly
Insert components
Add mating relationships between components.
Use Additive Manufacturing to build it and make it ready for racing.

Blank

Gif

Dimensioned Axle Holes

Body Rail

Isometric

Construction (Fillets)

Sketch (Body)

GIF

Front wheel

Rim Gif

Rim Construction (Circular Patterns)

Tire gif

Assembly (Tire+Rim)

Rear Wheel

Rim Gif

Rim Construction

Tire Gif

Assembly (Tire+Rim) Gif

Washer and Axle

Washer

Axle

CO2 Cartidge

Construction

(Revolve)

Construction (CHamfer)

Gif

Car Assembly

Mates

Isometric

Wheel Spinning gif

Gif

Drawing

FloW Simulator (Thick Rear Tire)

GIF (Side View)

GIF (Isometric view)

Surface Plot

Flow Trajectories

Drag/Lift Values

Drag Graph

Lift Graph

Flow Simulator (Thin Rear Tire)

GIF (Side View)

GIF (Isometric View)

Surface Plot

Flow Trajectories

Drag/Lift Values

Drag Graph

Lift Graph

The Design

Starting Sketch plan

Car Views

Detailed Features planning

Initial Design

Improved Design

Surface Plot (initial Design)

Surface plot (Improved)

Flow Trajectories (initial Design)

Flow Trajectories (Improved)

Flow Simulator Gif (Initial)

Flow Simulator Gif (improved)

Intial Design Values (Excel)

Improved Design Values (Excel)

Initial Design Values (SOlidWorks)

Improved Design Values (Solidworks)

Initial Design Drag Graph

Improved Drag Graph

INitial Design Lift Graph

Improved Lift Graph

Drawing (Improved Design)

The Product

Slicer Gif

IMG_2919.MOV

3d Printed Product (unaltered)

IMG_2922.MOV

Final Car (Fully Constructed)

Final Car Image

Race Day

IMG_2894.MOV

Race 1 (behind Car)

Results: DNF, <1m from finish line

20240228_091927_1.MP4

Race 1 (slow-Motion)

Race 1: Final Position

IMG_2899.MOV

Race 2 (Behind Car)

Results: DNF, Approx. 3m from photogate

IMG_2900.MOV

Race 3 (Behind Car)

Results: Finished in 3.06 seconds

Conclusions

calculations (Average speed & Maximum Velocity)

Due to errors in timing, my personal schedule, and other factors, I was not able to compare my times with other students times. My car was on the heavier side, which I was expecting because I was aiming more for an aesthetically pleasing car rather than a racecar that was the most optimized for the task at hand. However, I worked with what I had and attempted to create a solution that would combine the best of both worlds, and I made the car as aerodynamic as I could while still staying true and accurate to the reference/inspiration car.

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