Numerical Simulation of the Flow Field around Generic Formula One

• Main Authors: Dang Tienphuc, Gu ZhengQi, Chen Zhen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Isfahan University of Technology 2016-01-01
• Series: Journal of Applied Fluid Mechanics
• Subjects: Numerical simulation; Vehicle aerodynamics; RANS equations; Race car; Flow field.
• Online Access: http://jafmonline.net/JournalArchive/download?file_ID=38999&issue_ID=224

The steady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) method with the Realizable k   turbulence model was used to analyze the flow field around a race car (generic Formula One). This study was conducted using the ANSYS software package. The numerical simulations were conducted at a Reynolds number based on the race car model (14.9×106). The time-averaged velocity field, flow topology, velocity magnitude, static pressure magnitude and vortex regions of the flow fields are presented in this paper. The measurements were performed on the vertical and cross-sectional planes. The results are presented graphically, showing the main characteristics of the flow field around the whole race car, whereas most previous studies only mention the flow field around individual components of race cars. The Realizable k  turbulence model results showed consistency with the valuable validation data, which helps to elucidate the flow field around a model generic Formula one race car.