UNIVERSITY OF THESSALY
FACULTY OF SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATICS IN BIOMEDICINE
ENGLISH TERMS IN BIOMEDICINE
“Effect of Vortex generators on Aerodynamics of a Car: CFD Analysis”
(Paper Review)
Semester: 6th
Academic Year: 2019-2020
Name:Alexopoulos Ioannis
Student ID N.: 1348
Instructor: Batsila Marianthi
Lamia 2020
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................... 3
2 ABSTRACT AND TITLE PAGE AS THEY APPEARED IN THE PAPER ........ 3
3 METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................... 4
3.1 PURPOSE OF THE RESEARCH..................................................................................... 4
3.2 RESEARCH TOOLS ................................................................................................... 4
3.3 RESEARCH STEPS .................................................................................................... 4
4 RESULTS/FINDINGS .............................................................................................. 6
5 CONCLUSION/DISCUSSION ................................................................................. 9
6 REFERENCES ........................................................................................................ 10
1 Introduction
Author starts the paper by presenting the need for fuel consumption decrement, as the
essential concern of car manufacturers ,which further aides in environment protection
.Among the different procedures to reduce consumption of fuel , reducing the drag is an
important process which can be accomplished by various techniques and this paper analyzes
one such process in depth. Furthermore drag reduction improves the vehicle performance.
Prior to the distribution of this paper (April 2013), there have been various papers
distributed which focused on drag reduction , and some of them are listed below.
“Innovative concept for car drag reduction – A parametric analysis of
aerodynamic force on a simplified body”- published on Aug-Sep,2012.
“An experimental study of interceptors for drag reduction ” –published on
June,2011.
2 Abstract and Title Page as They Appeared in the Paper
Effect of Vortex generators on Aerodynamics of a Car: CFD Analysi
Mohan Jagadeesh Kumar M ,School of Mechanical and Building Sciences
VIT University, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
Anoop Dubey ,School of Mechanical and Building Sciences VIT University,
Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
Shashank Chheniya ,School of Mechanical and Building Sciences VIT
University, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
Amar Jadhav, School of Mechanical and Building Sciences VIT University,
Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
3
Abstract- Flow separation at the vehicle’s rear end is the major cause of an aerodynamic
drag in a car. In order to delay the flow separation at the rear, bump-shaped vortex generators
at the roof end of a car are tested in this paper for two different types of car models Sedan and
Hatchback. The aerodynamic analysis is carried out using GAMBIT and FLUENT for Sedan
and Hatchback models. Vortex Generators are found to be not very sensitive for the designing
parameters. CFD analysis confirms that the use of Vortex Generators reduces both the drag
and lift coefficients.
Keywords – Vortex generators, Aerodynamics, Drag, Lift, Flow separation, CFD
3 Methodology
3.1 Purpose of the research
The uniqueness and so the purpose of this paper is that the writer focused on the drag
reduction of passenger vehicles which have various limitations in their designs. These
limitations are portrayed in the introduction part of the paper .
3.2 Research tools
Various figures and diagrams are used in the paper .They have been very well explained
by the author in the accompanying statements of these charts and figures. Also GAMBIT
programming language and Fluent software are being used ,for better visualization of the
equations that accompany the figures.
3.3 Research steps
The research steps of the research are shown below:
FLOW SEPERATION MECHANISM OF VORTEX GENERATORS
4
This part clarifies the connection between car’s rear height , velocity drop and
change of pressure. A schema of rear velocity is provided(which gives a better idea of
the momentum change when interfering with the pressure gradient within the
boundary layer).Also the right position for setting the vortex generator, is clarified
,for decreasing the drag. Furthermore it is explained ,how the back pressure
increasement reduces the drag (since drag is produced from the Vortex Generators
themselves). So the final effect is the subtraction of drag produced by itself and the
drag reduction.
OPTIMUM VORTEX GENERATORS
This part contains the assumptions made regarding the ideal height of vortex
generator. In this analysis it has a bump-shaped shape ,and its rear slope angle is 27°.
The study which conducted to check the suppositions made regarding the height of
vortex generator, is also contained., but we cannot confirm the same about the
assumption made for the slope angle in the rear of the car. Furthermore the impact of
increasing the height of vortex generator on drag , is analyzed based on the
experimental results.
CFD ANALYSIS OF SIDE CONTOUR OF A CAR
Here is explained the upsides of utilization of CFD tools to analyse aerodynamic
parameters and resultant turbulences. As we mentioned above the author has used
GAMBIT to demonstrate the models(pre-processor) and FLUENT for equation
solving(postprocessor).Also in CFD analysis ,the FVM(finite volume method)
method is used to solve the equations acquired after applying the boundary
conditions.
DISCRITIZATION USING FINITE VOLUME METHOD (FVM)
Here the differences between finite volume method (FVM) and general finite
differential method ,are explained . Furthermore this paper’s scale used in models is
1:22, and the rear slope angles is 50 deg to 25 deg for hatchback model. The sedan
model has a stepped rear end body profile.
5
BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
The boundary conditions that were used in GAMBIT are contained is this section.
air velocity at the inlet is considered to be27.7 m/s (100 km/h) with a 300 K in
temperature. The gauge pressure is considered to be 0 Pa, density of air is 1.225
kg/(m^3) and viscosity of air is 1.7894 * (10^-5)kg/(ms).To get scientific correct
results , in both cases of the geometry , mesh is discretized with same density. The
turbulent flow analysis is carried out with a k –e model pattern.
4 Results/Findings
The meshed geometry is processed by FLUENT, with the application of specific
boundary conditions and a variety of flow parameters , and gives a visual of the static
pressure over the geometry of the vehicle, as it shown below.
1) Static Pressure
The variation of static pressure of the rear end of the roof is shown below, for the Sedan
model ,with and without the Vortex Generator ,so we can see the impact it has on the car.
6
2)With Vortex Generator 3)Without Vortex Generator
Below we can see the flow separation point in the form of velocity vectors , as the air
interacts with the Sedan model
4)With Vortex Generator 5)Without Vortex Generator
With the same pattern we can see the velocity field distribution
7
6)With Vortex Generator 7)Without Vortex Generator
Also the static distribution of pressure over the Hatchback vehicle is presented below
8)With Vortex Generator 9)Without Vortex Generator
Finally the we can see the velocity distribution over hatchback (10-11) and over sedan
(12-13) car.
10)With Vortex Generator(hatchback) 11)Without Vortex generator(hatchback)
8
12)With Vortex Generator(sedan) 13)Without Vortex Generator(sedan)
In the case of sedan vehicle a change in the numeric value of drag coefficient (i.e. change
in drag coeff= –0.009) and lift coefficient (i.e.change in lift coeff = –0.042) is observed.
In the case of Hatchback vehicle a change in the numeric value of drag coefficient
(i.e.change in drag coeff= –0.008) and lift coefficient (i.e.change in lift coeff= –0.046) is
observed too.
5 Conclusion/Discussion
To sum up , we can see that with Vortex Generators both rear pressure and downforce are
increased while reducing the drag at the same time . Because of that , passenger vehicles like
Hatchback’s and Sedan’s are suggested to use Vortex Generators
The uniqueness of this paper lays in the fact that drag decrement techniques and methods
are well analyzed and explained by the author. The paper also is divided into parts for
simplification reasons, with every part has proper explanation ,and has graphs and figures that
makes the reading more pleasant and simple for the reader’s mind.
So this research has answered and proved ,why the passenger vehicles have to make use
of vortex generators.
9
6 References
[1] Masaru Koike, Tsunehisa Nagayoshi, Naoki Hamamoto, “Research on Aerodynamic
Drag Reduction by Vortex Generators”, Mitsubishi Motors Technical Review, pp. 11-16,
No.16, 2004.
[2] Manan Desai, S. A. Channiwala, H.J. Nagarsheth, “Experimental and Computational
Aerodynamic Investigations of a Car”, WSEAS Transactions on Fluid Mechanics, pp. 359-
368, Issue 4, Volume 3, October 2008.
[3] Chainani. A, Perera. N, “CFD Investigation of Airflow on a Model Radio Control
Race Car”, Proceedings of the World Congress on Engineering, Vol 2, July 2-4 2008
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