Idea For Diffuser & Front Wing For F1 from LMS

[ESPImperium]

I got the June 2010 issue of Racecar Engineering yesterday and was reading about the Audi R15+ thats gonna be racing at Le Mans next weekend, and in a boxout section they were showing theese vortex generators, and was thinking could theese be used on a diffuser in F1 to tetach the air at high speeds, almost stalling the diffuser, and also to detach the air from the rear of the front wing elemnts???

An artice from Mulsannes Corner: http://www.mulsannescorner.com/newsmarch10.html
Pic of what im talking about;



Could this work on a F1 car??? Im trying my methodology of looking at other classes with a view to a F1 solution again i know.

[DaveW]

I believe vortex generators are used to delay separation in the "aircraft" world. The idea being that churning up the boundary layer (making it turbulent) is a neat way of re-energizing it, thus delaying stall. I believe makers of high performance model gliders achieve a similar result by stretching a thin wire just above the upper surface of the wing. Destroying an otherwise laminar boundary layer in this way also tends to make separation more progressive & benign.

p.s. Google "BAe Hawk cutaway" & open "Flightglobal". With a little imagination, you may see vortex generators at 25-30% chord on the stbd (clad) wing. These are partly responsible for the aircraft's "unstallable" reputation.

[wesley123]

What those VGs do can be discussed, i read about it on Mulsannes corner where it states it is to detach the flow, however, the R10 ran those similair VGs where on mulsannes corner it was stated it enhances its function. What i think it does is just simply allow better extraction from the air under the diffuser, i doubt it will detach. An stalling diffuser would simply be useless, it will add drag instead of stopping it. The diffuser and floor has a pretty small drag penalty, stalling it will actually just let the air heap up under the floor, increasing drag and causing really unstable aerodynamics. For example with the rear wing there is enough space for the air to head to, for the diffuser there isnt. I am pretty usre it simply creates more lower pressure enhancing the diffusers function.

[dumrick]

From Mulsanne's Corner:

On the previous R15 execution a lot of work had gone into providing the front wing and flap with ample airflow allowing for maximum pressure recovery. That's why the covering bodywork was mounted high and shuttered. But the lowering of the front bodywork on the R15 plus has simply made ideal pressure recovery for the splitter unachievable.

But there are whispers that the flow separation is intentional to an extent. Certainly part of the flow separation is the simple fact of life of the the splitter's design and execution. But we understand that there is also beneficial aspect; the separated flow has less energy and it makes picking up sand and dust and exhausting it directly into the radiators less likely, as long as it is directed to behave in such a manner. The VGs simply allow for this entire condition to be better controlled.

[DaveW]

Mmm. The idea behind the regulated elevated centre section of the splitter was to prevent stall, & hence porpoising. My guess would be that Audi have excessive curvature behind the splitter, & vortex generators are a way of maintaining some semblance of stable flow at reduced splitter heights.

[Jamesh792]

sadly rules in f1 state the floor of the car should be flat (excludes the wooden plank) so we wont see it anytime soon. I would imagine the VGs help the car through cornering by creating a more linear flow to the diffuser to create more downforce. a vortice would be created on the leading edge of the VG, and at the centre on the vortex is low pressure air (creating downforce when under the car) but really you want vortices running a long the edge of the floor (between the tyres) to 'seal' the floor like a ground effect skirt. basically it could be a lot of things but im looking forward to the r15 at le man, v10 this ime btw!