Project Plan

The project will assess the effects of airflow through a race car cooling system, and how this affects the performance of the car in a similar way as the airflow over a car also affects the performance. Performance of the car is also affected by mechanical effects of the cooling system layout; fluid pressure drop through the radiator and oil cooler (the lower the pressure drop, the less the power lost in pumping the fluid through the cooler and radiator), and moments of inertia, including centre of gravity and polar moments, are two key areas of interest.

To assess the performance, focus will be on engine power, weight and drag. The greater the operating temperature of the engine, the less the power output. However, the greater the operating temperature of the engine, the smaller the cooling system is; which means less weight and less drag. Reducing drag will increase car performance. To provide maximum car performance a balance between the three factors will be required.

This is particularly important with the standardized engine rule which is about to be introduced into Formula 1 racing where engine life is critical; a balance is essential as to not run the engine too hot which reduces power and life, but decreasing cooling system drag is desirable. A methodology to solve this problem will be valuable.

It has been agreed that Perry Cohn will provide typical data required for the project; real cooling system data and estimated engine data; and geometry of a general cooling system.

Pre-requisite knowledge will be in the form of traditional research using resources such as textbooks and reliable Internet websites.

Analysis of given data will be conducted using traditional methods, including graphs and charts.

Aerodynamic analysis of the cooling system geometry will be conducted with fluid flow software, Star CCM+, using geometry in a Para-solid format through Solidworks software. Geometry tested will not be of any specific type of race car, but general to modern race cars, including F1 and A1.

Analysis of all data and results will be used to aid research and simulation to attempt to evaluate the given geometry to improve car performance.