Design and Analysis of a Pneumatically Actuated Drag Reduction System

The main goal of race car aerodynamics is to generate a desired intensity of downforce for the least possible amount of drag. Nonetheless, the balance of the forces under all circumstances due to speed and acceleration is equally important. The modeling was performed using SolidWorks, and the analysis was done both analytically and by means of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) using a flow simulation with STAR-CCM+. The aerodynamics package, which includes the rear wing, front wing, and undertray that help in faster cornering, is analyzed in the full-car analysis. The full-car analysis is done for pitch and yaw. The increase in cornering ability can come from two major aspects: an increase in the aerodynamic downforce and a decrease in the aerodynamic drag of the vehicle. In order to implement the desired aerodynamics package, an airfoil with a predefined profile was selected. The main factor that limits the selection of an airfoil is its effectiveness at low velocities. Several airfoils suitable for low-velocity applications were considered. This thesis will hence define the design parameters of a rear wing that classifies as an aerodynamic device.