Ground effect of an inverted double element wing diffuser on a sedan car

Abstract

The diffuser is a critical component in sports cars, enhancing aerodynamics by increasing downforce and reducing drag. Previous studies have focused on its dependence on diffuser incidence, height, and base pressure. The design of the car, particularly the rear end shape and the rear wing's presence, affect base pressure and the diffuser's performance. Previous studies have investigated the effects of diffuser geometry on aerodynamic performance, but the current study is the first to examine the relationship between the diffuser and the rear tires. It also provides specific and quantitative results on the impact of different diffuser design parameters on drag and downforce. The relationship between the rear tires and the double-element inverted wing diffuser using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was investigated. This is an essential problem because the diffuser is a critical component of sports cars, and its design can significantly impact aerodynamic performance. CFD was used to simulate the flow of air around the car model. The CFD model was based on the Nissan Sunny (Versa) type Almera design, and the diffuser main element and flap wing angles were set at 4 and 15.5°, respectively. The flap gap, overlap distance, and wing ride height above the ground were varied to achieve an optimal aerodynamic design. The study found that the wing's ride height significantly influences the flow through the diffuser. The diffuser significantly impacts base pressure and downforce production. Increasing the ride height decreases base pressure, leading to an increase in downforce until a specific point near the car body, where downforce further increases. The study concluded that the best double-element diffuser design was selected based on lift-to-drag results and the allowable dimensions of the car, wing ride height, element gap, and overlap distances. Ultimately, the best diffuser wing design features a ride height of 154 mm, a gap distance of 10 mm, and an overlap of 5 mm. This design reduces drag by approximately 2.7 % and remarkably increases downforce ten times compared to the baseline car model.

Keywords: CFD; Car diffuser; Double-element inverted wing; Drag reduction; Ground effect; Nissan sunny car; Passive flow control.