Modern Applied Science; Vol. 15, No. 2; 2021 ISSN 1913-1844 E-ISSN 1913-1852 Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education 73 Improving Aerodynamic Efficiency and Decreasing Drag Coefficient of an F1 in Schools Race Car Ao Gai 1 1 Deerfield Academy, Massachusetts, United States Correspondence: Ao Gai, Deerfield Academy, 7 Boyden Lane, Deerfield, MA 01342, United States. Received: February 6, 2021 Accepted: March 23, 2021 Online Published: March 29, 2021 doi:10.5539/mas.v15n2p73 URL: https://doi.org/10.5539/mas.v15n2p73 Abstract To improve the aerodynamic efficiency of a Formula One (F1) in Schools race car, the original model of the car is evaluated and compared with a new design. The ideas behind the new design are supported by research about aerodynamics. Different potential designs are created with CAD software Fusion 360 and evaluated within CFD software Solid Edge 2020 with FloEFD. Empirical data shows how specific changes to the structure of race cars can improve aerodynamic efficiency by decreasing their aerodynamic drag. The experimental data and methods of this study can provide help and guidance for teenagers participating in the F1 in Schools competition program to solve the aerodynamic performance problems of racing cars and thereby increase youth interest in STEM programs, as well as their opportunities to learn about engineering and enter engineering careers. Keywords: aerodynamics, computational fluid dynamics, drag coefficient, F1 in Schools 1. Introduction 1.1 Background for the Research Formula One (F1) is one of the oldest, most popular, and most technologically advanced car racing championships in the world. From each team’s attention to detail, such as the material used or the slightest tweak of designs, to the engineers’ constant efforts to improve the aerodynamic efficiency and success of their race cars, F1 is a paradigm for the world’s advancements in the automobile industry. The challenge of designing and honing a race car to its maximum potential is brought to high school students by the F1 in Schools competition. F1 in Schools is a STEM challenge organized by Formula One to encourage high school students around the world to design a small version of an F1 car. The challenge requires the members of the participating teams to work together and create a race car that is fast and aerodynamically efficient. This study is concerned with the improvement of an F1 in Schools race car, the same goal as real-life F1 teams have pursued throughout the sport’s history. Finding the optimized angle and structure of the car’s wing, the most efficient body shape of the car, and an aerodynamic rear wing are the three most important areas of improvement for this project. 1.2 Research Trends An essential aspect of Formula One’s technology is its advancements in aerodynamic innovations and designs. In 1968, Graham Hill appeared at the Monaco Grand Prix with a modest wing fitted on his Lotus 49B race car. This is widely considered the start of aerodynamic enhancement and improvement in F1 racing (Jennie, 2014). From that point on, aerodynamics – specifically, the creation of more negative lift, or downforce, with the balance of drag – has always been an aspect that F1 teams have focused on and, as such, has prompted increasingly complex and interesting wing designs on F1 cars. During the ground effect era of F1 in the late 1970s and early 1980s, different teams across the F1 grid began exploring and taking advantage of this aerodynamic principle to decrease the drag and increase the downforce and cornering speed of their race cars (Graham, 2019). This is just one instance of how F1 teams have always attempted to design the fastest running machines on the grid with various aerodynamic innovations and improvements. In 2020, researchers Ilya Tolchinsky, Travis Carrigan and Joshua Dawson used CAD to optimize the front wing of a racing car and concluded that a higher angle of attack at the tip of the wing produces superior aerodynamic performance (Tolchinsky, Carrigan, & Dawson, 2020). The work of researchers Jurij Iljaž, Leopold Škerget, Mitja Štrakl and Jure Marn in 2016 showed that the tail of a car has an important relationship with
Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education
73
Improving Aerodynamic Efficiency and Decreasing Drag Coefficient of an F1 in Schools Race Car
Ao Gai1 1 Deerfield Academy, Massachusetts, United States Correspondence: Ao Gai, Deerfield Academy, 7 Boyden Lane, Deerfield, MA 01342, United States. Received: February 6, 2021 Accepted: March 23, 2021 Online Published: March 29, 2021 doi:10.5539/mas.v15n2p73 URL: https://doi.org/10.5539/mas.v15n2p73 Abstract To improve the aerodynamic efficiency of a Formula One (F1) in Schools race car, the original model of the car is evaluated and compared with a new design. The ideas behind the new design are supported by research about aerodynamics. Different potential designs are created with CAD software Fusion 360 and evaluated within CFD software Solid Edge 2020 with FloEFD. Empirical data shows how specific changes to the structure of race cars can improve aerodynamic efficiency by decreasing their aerodynamic drag. The experimental data and methods of this study can provide help and guidance for teenagers participating in the F1 in Schools competition program to solve the aerodynamic performance problems of racing cars and thereby increase youth interest in STEM programs, as well as their opportunities to learn about engineering and enter engineering careers. Keywords: aerodynamics, computational fluid dynamics, drag coefficient, F1 in Schools 1. Introduction 1.1 Background for the Research Formula One (F1) is one of the oldest, most popular, and most technologically advanced car racing championships in the world. From each team’s attention to detail, such as the material used or the slightest tweak of designs, to the engineers’ constant efforts to improve the aerodynamic efficiency and success of their race cars, F1 is a paradigm for the world’s advancements in the automobile industry. The challenge of designing and honing a race car to its maximum potential is brought to high school students by the F1 in Schools competition. F1 in Schools is a STEM challenge organized by Formula One to encourage high school students around the world to design a small version of an F1 car. The challenge requires the members of the participating teams to work together and create a race car that is fast and aerodynamically efficient. This study is concerned with the improvement of an F1 in Schools race car, the same goal as real-life F1 teams have pursued throughout the sport’s history. Finding the optimized angle and structure of the car’s wing, the most efficient body shape of the car, and an aerodynamic rear wing are the three most important areas of improvement for this project. 1.2 Research Trends An essential aspect of Formula One’s technology is its advancements in aerodynamic innovations and designs. In 1968, Graham Hill appeared at the Monaco Grand Prix with a modest wing fitted on his Lotus 49B race car. This is widely considered the start of aerodynamic enhancement and improvement in F1 racing (Jennie, 2014). From that point on, aerodynamics – specifically, the creation of more negative lift, or downforce, with the balance of drag – has always been an aspect that F1 teams have focused on and, as such, has prompted increasingly complex and interesting wing designs on F1 cars. During the ground effect era of F1 in the late 1970s and early 1980s, different teams across the F1 grid began exploring and taking advantage of this aerodynamic principle to decrease the drag and increase the downforce and cornering speed of their race cars (Graham, 2019). This is just one instance of how F1 teams have always attempted to design the fastest running machines on the grid with various aerodynamic innovations and improvements. In 2020, researchers Ilya Tolchinsky, Travis Carrigan and Joshua Dawson used CAD to optimize the front wing of a racing car and concluded that a higher angle of attack at the tip of the wing produces superior aerodynamic performance (Tolchinsky, Carrigan, & Dawson, 2020). The work of researchers Jurij Iljaž, Leopold Škerget, Mitja Štrakl and Jure Marn in 2016 showed that the tail of a car has an important relationship with
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mas.ccsenet.org Modern Applied Science Vol. 15, No. 2; 2021
76
3. Race Car Design, Analysis, and Results 3.1 Software A crucial part of the project is the computer software that allows alterations to be made to the design of the original race car and completes the analysis of the aerodynamics. Here Autodesk Fusion 360 is used, as well as FloEFD and Solid Edge 2020. Autodesk Fusion 360 is a computational-aided design (CAD) software developed by Autodesk. It is an easily understandable and usable software that allows 3D models to be created, shaped, and exported. This CAD software is the basis of operation for the original structural design of the Boyden Challenger, the F1 in Schools model race car that this study focuses on. Solid Edge 2020, with the implementation of FloEFD, can perform CFD analysis on the design of the race car that is exported from Fusion 360. FloEFD vitally allows the exported race car model to be simulated within a correct environment with the correct data restrictions. Furthermore, FloEFD records the essential data and 3D flow behaviors observed from different perspectives. 3.2 Analytical Restrictions To ensure the validity of the results of any structural design change, there are several important analytical restrictions that are made constant for every flow analysis. Each analysis is run on one device with the same hardware and settings. With a constant environment for the different designs, the difference in results can be accurately evaluated. The constants and restrictions are below. Table 1. Hardware configuration Processor Internal Storage System Version CAD Software CFD Software CPU Speed Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-9750H CPU @ 2.60GHZ
8041 MB / 134217727 MB
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Autodesk Fusion 360
FloEFD FES2019.1.0. Build: 4540
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Table 2. Flow Analysis Conditions-1
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Table 8. Comparison of results based on different body shapes, including the tested results of the third version of the angle of attack as well as two body shape alterations
Angle of attack 3 Body shape alteration 1 Body shape alteration 2
Name Unit Value Value Value
Drag N 0.324 0.335 0.294
Lift N 0.028 -0.069 -0.019
Cd 0.428 0.400 0.351
The second body shape change of the new design aims to resolve the issue of proximity between the bodywork and the main front wing that appeared to be an area of pressure drag (see Figures 23 and 24). Compared to most of the side visuals of the tested models, the final two visuals indicate a much smaller volume of vacuum air behind the car, which is likely to be the reason for the reduction in drag. At the same time, the floor of the sidepod is as close to the ground as possible, since it is not optimal for air to flow within the sidepod (which it does in the previous models) if it is open at the front and within. 4. Conclusion After understanding and applying knowledge from preliminary research concerning aerodynamics, new structural designs were applied to the initial model of the F1 in Schools race car. While some did not prove to be effective, others showed major improvements. The drag coefficient of the final version of the design, under the same circumstances that all versions of the car were tested, resulted in a drag coefficient of 0.351, which is a 0.142 decrease from the initial value. This result indicates that the aerodynamic efficiency of the final version of the car is optimized compared to the first. Certain major design changes proved most helpful. One was finding the optimal angle of attack for the front wing of the car. Since the front wing is the first part of the car to move through the air, it poses a great source of drag. Therefore, finding the best shape and angle for the front wing of the car is essential. Another helpful structural change was streamlining the body shape of the car. While leaving a large open space beneath the car may appear to increase drag, a larger body that converges at the rear can be more effective, as it prevents flow separation and higher-pressure air from forming beneath the car, and it reduces the separated zone behind the car. F1 in Schools cars have straight line acceleration and straight line deceleration, and this study focuses on investigating the aerodynamic performance of the car during the steady motion phase. However, in the initial motion phase with high power, it is also important to explore the performance of the car under the influence of power. Therefore, considering the dynamic influence would be a useful direction for future research. References Dunbar, B. (2015). What Is Aerodynamics? NASA. Retrieved from
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Koike, M., Tsunehisa N., & Naoki, H. (2004). Research on Aerodynamic Drag Reduction by Vortex Generators. Mitsubishi Motors Technical Review.
Mowbray, J. (2014). # F1 History: Aerodynamics in Formula One – Part I. the judge 13. Retrieved from https://thejudge13.com/2014/02/05/f1-history-aerodynamics-in-formula-one-part-i/
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