Viscous-Flow Simulation of an Open-Wheel Race Car

A numerical solution based on the Navier-Stokes equation, combined with unstructured grid mesh, was used to model an open wheel race car. The solution is based on a fast, matrix-free, implicit method, with relatively low storage requirements, resulting in solution times up to an order of magnitude smaller than other numerical solutions. The computations provide details on the flow field around the car and a complete pressure distribution on the vehicle's surface. The calculated results may be used as a supplementary tool for wind tunnel or road testing and can provide information, such as the underbody flow, which is difficult to evaluate experimentally. One of the primary advantages of such a viscous flow simulation is the ability to model wheel rotation and to detect regions of flow separation, particularly on the suction side of the front and rear wings.