Aerodynamics Enhancement in Automotive Industry by Implementing Plasma Actuator as an Active Flow Control Method
Standing
Undergraduate
Type of Proposal
Oral Research Presentation
Challenges Theme
Open Challenge
Faculty Sponsor
N/A
Proposal
In recent years, energy efficiency policies obliged automotive companies to pay meticulous attention to modern technologies in aerodynamics as the most important part of automobile fuel consumption. Accordingly, most aerodynamics studies are carried out based on Ahmed body models which are the standard and simplified shapes of road vehicles. In this research, by using plasma actuator as a contemporary active flow control mechanism flow control over an Ahmed body with the rear slant angle of 25° were studied. Experiments were conducted in a low-speed wind tunnel at two different velocities of U=10m/s and U=20m/s. In this study, hot-wire anemometer and 52 pressure sensors were employed for measuring downstream vortex shedding frequency and pressure distribution, respectively. Furthermore, total drag force in varied conditions was extracted with load cell and flow pattern around the body revealed by smoke flow visualization. The results showed that at the velocity of U=10m/s plasma actuator had a distinctive impression on both pressure distribution and total drag force. In fact, by applying steady and unsteady electrical excitations there were 21% and 10% drag reduction, respectively. While at the velocity of U=20m/s the actuator had no significant effect on pressure distribution and total drag reduction (about 5%) in comparison with the velocity of 10m/s. As a remarkable result, plasma actuator has demonstrated its effectiveness on dispersing the longitudinal vortices and suppressing the separated flow on the rear slant. Accordingly, it led fuel consumption to decrease to maximum of 21% specifically at lower velocities.Keywords: Automotive; Aerodynamics, Plasma, Wind tunnel, Fuel consumption.
Grand Challenges
Viable, Healthy and Safe Communities
Aerodynamics Enhancement in Automotive Industry by Implementing Plasma Actuator as an Active Flow Control Method
In recent years, energy efficiency policies obliged automotive companies to pay meticulous attention to modern technologies in aerodynamics as the most important part of automobile fuel consumption. Accordingly, most aerodynamics studies are carried out based on Ahmed body models which are the standard and simplified shapes of road vehicles. In this research, by using plasma actuator as a contemporary active flow control mechanism flow control over an Ahmed body with the rear slant angle of 25° were studied. Experiments were conducted in a low-speed wind tunnel at two different velocities of U=10m/s and U=20m/s. In this study, hot-wire anemometer and 52 pressure sensors were employed for measuring downstream vortex shedding frequency and pressure distribution, respectively. Furthermore, total drag force in varied conditions was extracted with load cell and flow pattern around the body revealed by smoke flow visualization. The results showed that at the velocity of U=10m/s plasma actuator had a distinctive impression on both pressure distribution and total drag force. In fact, by applying steady and unsteady electrical excitations there were 21% and 10% drag reduction, respectively. While at the velocity of U=20m/s the actuator had no significant effect on pressure distribution and total drag reduction (about 5%) in comparison with the velocity of 10m/s. As a remarkable result, plasma actuator has demonstrated its effectiveness on dispersing the longitudinal vortices and suppressing the separated flow on the rear slant. Accordingly, it led fuel consumption to decrease to maximum of 21% specifically at lower velocities.Keywords: Automotive; Aerodynamics, Plasma, Wind tunnel, Fuel consumption.