F1 in Schools Help - basizeland's project

[bazanaius]

ps. from the cfd plots it's fairly clear (even to someone who doesn't do much CFD - me) that that front wing config is generating a significant portion of the drag. Given you have that useful channel down the middle of the car, is it worth trying to direct some of the flow there rather than up? Maybe have your 'end plate' in the middle of the each wing/side bit, with a kind of convex shovel shape to funnel the air around the front of the car and keep it clear of the wheels?

[basizeland]

bazanaius is this what you meant with the front wing









I added a small removable front wing to the bottom of the front wing because i realised that the front wing was too high because it is only meant to be 12mm high and we will receive more points for having a removable front wing because not everyone does it and it makes it easy to test different versions.

With the cfd i used i started of with having it on a coarse mesh and 100 iterations but someone told me that the values were incorrect so now i run it on a fine mesh and 1000 iterations but i dont think that it is 100% right yet. when i first started it took 30-40 mins to calculate and now it takes 10 hours so the results should be closer to being right.

[bazanaius]

yeah I quite like that - whether it will do anything positive I don't know! Fun trying tho.

Re. CFD 100 iterations seems low for any run I can think of, but as I said I don't do much CFD so someone else here can probably advise - it will depend on the complexity of the model (fairly complex), the types of flow regimes you expect to see (and where), the solver you're using etc.etc. also make sure your boundary conditions are what you want. I don't think you could completely simulate the system you'd want in the program you have (no turning wheels, no jet etc.) but if you understand that boundary conditions you can interpret your results accordingly and make relevant conclusions.

[basizeland]

yeah I really like the front wing and hope that its better because it is different to anything that i have seen which will give us more points for innovation. It is currently in the cfd program and i have tried 1200 iterations rather than 1000 so im hoping that it is going to be better.

[Tim.Wright]

Brett,

I'd like to congratulate you on starting the first intelligent post for 2009.

It sure makes a refreshing change from;
• F*** Hamilton, f*** Hamilton, f*** Hamilton
• Mosely is a d***
• Ferrari/FIA affair theories Vol 600

What school are you from? Or at least which state?

I helped do the timing at the WA event a couple of years ago. I was pretty impressed to see school students smashing out these amazing solids in CATIA (which is not the easiest package to learn) while the same year I was bashing my head up against the wall trying to teach 4th year engineering student how to make a cube in solidworks.

Apart from that I have nothing of value to add! Good luck!

-Tim

[basizeland]

Hi Tim I'm from sebastopol college in ballarat Victoria. Yeah I have found that CATIA isn't the easiest thing to use and I had to teach myself how to use it.

[basizeland]

I have been researching the golf ball dimples again and i have found a company in the US that produce a sticker like cover for cars that have a dimples on it and was wondering whether it would be worth trying to get some to try and whether it would have any effect on the cars performance.

You can check it out here http://www.fastskinz.com/

[Jersey Tom]

You'd have a tough time getting it to conform to all the curvature in your vehicle. Don't think it would turn out too well.

[bazanaius]

I agree - I'd rather have a streamlined body. Generally the bluff bodies benefit most from this feature (golf balls, big vans), but you have the ability to just streamline your car (within reason) so go with this.

[basizeland]

The competition is only a week and a half away and was wondering whether everyone that has posted on this thread would be willing to let me acknowledge them in our portfolio and verbal presentation because part of the program is about getting in contact with industry and working with them to achieve our outcome. I would like to thank everyone that has contributed to this thread as it has helped me greatly and the car looks very promising of breaking the national and unofficial world record of 0.985 seconds and if not that most definatly the state record of 1.021 seconds.

[bazanaius]

pm'd

maybe it's easiest just to acknowlegde this forum (even this thread specifically) and list the usernames?

[mep]

Have you already build that car?
Is is possible to post some pictures of it here?

[basizeland]

Yeah I was planning on acknowledging the whole forum but I also want to mention a few of the users that contributed a few things that I actually added to the car.

I have just finished machining the cars so they are just balsa wood form at the moment. I am currently sanding them ready for paint so if you would like i can post a few pics of it after it has been machined.

[Ciro Pabón]

Well, now comes the testing, isn't it? If you're gonna test the car, then perhaps you could post the times here, it should bring a new round of suggestions.

[flynfrog]

The competition is only a week and a half away and was wondering whether everyone that has posted on this thread would be willing to let me acknowledge them in our portfolio and verbal presentation because part of the program is about getting in contact with industry and working with them to achieve our outcome. I would like to thank everyone that has contributed to this thread as it has helped me greatly and the car looks very promising of breaking the national and unofficial world record of 0.985 seconds and if not that most definatly the state record of 1.021 seconds.

If you would like you can email me Id be glad to let you use my real name. (I am assuming I was of some use )