Abstract
Formula SAE vehicles are formula styled (open-wheeled and open cockpit) racecars that are designed to race on an autocross circuit. Highly competitive vehicles in the competition implement aerodynamic devices, which generate negative lift for the vehicle. This negative lift, or downforce, increases the amount of traction between the racecar’s tires and the ground that ultimately allows drivers to turn at faster speeds. Commonly used aerodynamic devices are a front and rear wing; the wing cross sections are defined by configurations of multiple 2D airfoils. This paper focuses on the systematic design of a Formula SAE specific front wing through the comparisons of high lift, inverted airfoils, in ground effect in order to maximize the negative lift coefficient. Five selected high lift, single element airfoils are iterated through multiple angles of attack and the three superior airfoils are iterated through a second study of height off the ground. A third study begins to look at combining the single airfoils into a two element airfoil configuration to further increase negative lift generation.
Document Type
Final Report
Class Name
Mechanical Engineering and Material Sciences Independent Study
Date of Submission
4-30-2018
Recommended Citation
Grabis, Michael and Agarwal, Ramesh K., "Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis of High Lift, Inverted Airfoils in Ground Effect" (2018). Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science Independent Study. 63.
https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/mems500/63