Simulation Example — Flow Over a 2D Sports Car Shape

Overview

In fluid dynamics, the drag force is defined as the resistance force due to the motion of the body in a fluid. A moving body has to overcome this drag force to be able to travel through the fluid. The drag force depends on the body’s shape, flow Reynolds number and other parameters, such as surface roughness. Automobiles cruising on roads overcome aerodynamic drag by consuming energy generated by burning fuel or electrochemical energy stored in the batteries of electric vehicles. Thus, minimizing the drag force on an automobile leads to better fuel economy or longer battery life, and this is the primary reason for streamlining vehicle shapes. It is especially important to minimize drag on sports cars designed for high-speed performance driving.

Objectives

In this homework problem, you will model the flow over a 2D cross section of a sports car traveling at 72 km/h, estimate the overall drag force experienced by the vehicle and compare this drag with the drag experienced by a classic sedan shape.

Setup

Download the mesh file needed for setting up the simulation and the associated Case & Data files from here. Follow the instructions below to set up this simulation in Ansys Fluent starting with a Mesh file. In case you face any issues setting up or running the simulation, then please use the corresponding initial and final case and data files.