Active Aerodynamics applied on the Arcfox-GT Supercar

Abstract

In this project an aerodynamic study is developed on a supercar, integrating different aerodynamic elements from the active aerodynamics. The model where this innovating technology is applied is the ArcFox-GT, a Chinese model by BAIC, but designed and developed by QEV Technologies in Barcelona. At first instance, a review of fundamentals of fluid dynamics and conservation equations is made. The concepts and the basic forces of aerodynamics are detailed in the first chapter as well. The tool for the CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) is developed, Star-CCM+, used to model an adequate real scenario with a control volume, mesh and physic conditions. Appropriate wind tunnel modeling is understood by comparing the results of the model with the experimental results for two different configurations. Once the wind tunnel configuration looks like reality, different active elements are designed and studied for different parts of the vehicle, from the front part to the back. The effect of these elements will help the dynamic behaviour of the vehicle in different situations. The principal objective of the model improvement will be the reduction of drag and lift coefficients. A new version of the ArcFox-GT model is designed, named ArcFox+, it incorporates the different active elements previously designed. Studies are carried out with different distributions of these elements. Finally, studies for the minimum drag performance and the maximum downforce performance are developed.

En aquest projecte es desenvolupa un estudi aerodinamic sobre un cotxe d’altes ` prestacions integrant diferents elements de l’aerodinamica activa. El model el qual ` s’implementa aquesta innovadora tecnologia es l’ArcFox-GT, un model fabricat per BAIC á la Xina, pero dissenyat i desenvolupat per QEV Technologies a Barcelona. ` En primera instancia, es fa un rep ` as als fonaments te ` orics de la din ` amica de fluids i a ` les equacions de conservacio. Els conceptes i les forces b ´ asiques de l’aerodin ` amica s ` on´ detallades tambe en el primer cap ´ ítol. Es desenvolupa l’eina per a les simulacions en CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics), Star-CCM+, amb el qual es modela un escenari real amb un volum de control, mallat i condicions físiques reals. El modelatge adequat del tunel de ´ vent es comprova comparant els resultats del model amb els resultats experimentals per dues configuracions diferents. Un cop es te una configuraci ´ o del t ´ unel de vent semblant a la real, es dissenyen i estudien ´ diferents elements actius per diferents parts del cotxe, de la part frontal fins a la darrera. L’efecte d’aquests elements ajudara el comportament din ` amic del vehicle en diferents ` situacions. L’objectiu principal de la millora del model sera la reducci ` o del coeficient de ´ drag i coeficient de lift. Una nova versio del model ArcFox-GT ´ es dissenyada, nomenada com a ArcFox+, aquesta íncorpora els diferents elements actius dissenyats previament. Es realitzen estudis amb ` diferents disposicions d’aquests elements. Finalment es realitza l’estudi d’una configuracio per obtenir la menor forc¸a d’arrossegament, i una altra per obtenir la major forc¸a ´ descendent