Enhancement of aerodynamic performance of a formula-1 race car using add-on devices

Aerodynamics plays a very important role in motorsports. Car manufacturers around the world have been fascinated and influenced by the various aerodynamic improvements that are used in racing. There has been a constant effort on their side to incorporate these changes to road vehicles not just as an aesthetic design feature but also since they believe that these features can contribute to improving fuel economy and vehicle handling. One of the main areas of concern in racing is to balance aerodynamic forces and to streamline the air flow across the body towards improving stability and handling characteristics, especially, while cornering. At present, formula racing cars are regulated by stringent FIA norms, there is a constraint for the dimensions of the vehicle used, engine capacity, power output and emission. It is difficult to obtain the optimum aerodynamic performance with the existing racing car. There is a need for improvement in the aerodynamic performance of these race cars by using add-on devices locally with different configurations to streamline and channelize the airflow besides reducing aerodynamic forces and providing stability that improves cornering and handling characteristics.

In this project work, an attempt has been made to improve the aerodynamic performance of F1 race car by using various add-on devices with different configurations through steady state CFD simulations. Initially, steady state external air flow simulation on the baseline model F-1 car without add-on devices has been carried out to obtain air flow pattern around and for aerodynamic forces using FLUENT solver. A detailed survey on different add-on devices used for racing applications has been made and geometric models of some add-on devices like front wing, bargeboard, nose wing, rear wheel scallops, roof spoiler and rear wing with best possible configurations were created and attached to the baseline model. Steady state CFD simulation on the modified F1 race car with add-on devices has been carried out for different speeds. Aerodynamic performances like lift force, drag force and their co-efficients are evaluated for different configurations of add-on devices for different speeds

From parametric CFD simulations on F-1 car attached with add-on devices, there is a considerable amount of drag and lift force reduction besides streamlining the airflow across the car. The best possible configuration for all add-on devices, i.e. front and rear wings, nose wing, barge board, roof spoiler and wheel scallops, are derived from CFD simulations. The combination of all these add-on devices with the most appropriate configurations is suggested to incorporate for F1 race car to improve aerodynamic performance.