Matt Wakelin
FORMULA 1 CAR AERODYNAMICS
Project Specification:
The FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Technical Regulations are undergoing a dramatic change for the 2009 season, the biggest change for several decades aimed at meeting requirements laid down by the FIA to improve the “show”.
This involves significant changes to the regulations governing the Bodywork of the car. Fundamentally these changes mean that winglets, bargeboards and other aerodynamic devices, which are abundant on the 2008 cars, will be banned for the 2009 season.
Therefore the objective of my project is to understand the purpose and the interactions of the main bodywork aerodynamic devices (i.e. not front and rear wings), to be outlawed or altered, in terms of airflow, downforce and drag by using CFD. Then I will use theory to relate these finds to how they will affect the performance of the car and how this relates to the objects set down by the FIA.
Project Methodology:
In order to demonstrate the effects of the aerodynamic devices I will take the model created by last year’s student and modify it to the specification which I require using SolidWorks. This means I will reprofile the aero devices of the existing model to bring the model 100% inline with a specific 2008 spec car. Using an existing car will cut down the time required to build the model and thus giving time for a more thorough analysis of the individual devices rather than looking at general overal effects.
This means that using Star CCM+ I will run several experiments to investigate the Aerodynamic devices. Therefore at the end of the project I will be able to say what the purpose is of each of the individual aerodynamic devices. In other words I will be able to say what the effects are of each device in terms of downforce and drag! For example I am going to run an experiment with the winglet at the rear of the car and from the analysis I will be able to say what effect this individual device has.
My Availability:
I am available during the following hours for term 1:
Monday: 12:00- 15:00, 17:00 onwards (week 5 12:00- 14:00)
Tuesday: 12:00 onwards
Wednesday: 10:00- 13:00 (after 13:00 on exceptions)
Thursday: 10:00 - 13:00, 14:00- 15:00, 17:00 onwards (unavailable 11:00- 12:00 weeks 6- 10)
Friday: 11:00 - 13:00, 14:00- 15:00
CONTACT:
M dot P dot Wakelin at warwick dot ac dot uk
