Wind tunnel talk 2012

[wesley123]

Is that how it happens? 60% length by 60% width by 60% height? Or is it 60% over volume?

60% of real life HxWxL is the same as 60% of the volume since the volume is HxWxL

[raymondu999]

Is that how it happens? 60% length by 60% width by 60% height? Or is it 60% over volume?

60% of real life HxWxL is the same as 60% of the volume since the volume is HxWxL

Ummm... no...

60%H x 60%W x 60%L = 21.6%HWL

If you had a box that was exactly 1 cubic meter, (1m x 1m x 1m) then 60% of the volume would mean .6 cubic meters. If you had it 60% length each way, that would mean 60cmx60cmx60cm, or .216 cubic meters

[wesley123]

Is that how it happens? 60% length by 60% width by 60% height? Or is it 60% over volume?

60% of real life HxWxL is the same as 60% of the volume since the volume is HxWxL

Ummm... no...

60%H x 60%W x 60%L = 21.6%HWL

If you had a box that was exactly 1 cubic meter, (1m x 1m x 1m) then 60% of the volume would mean .6 cubic meters. If you had it 60% length each way, that would mean 60cmx60cmx60cm, or .216 cubic meters

That was really stupid of me, you're right

[Huntresa]

Sorry, but what is a acer ramp? The sidepod?

Look for where it says "Acer" on the side pod rear. That's the ramp.

Is there any limit to the wind tunnel testing? Or is that allowed 24/7/365

Ok thx

Its allowed but the problem is the costs ( fia has introduced costs reduction) there are rumours that redbull as only team do not follow the rules and explodes his costs but is not easy to prove that.

There is a limit to how much Wind Tunnel you can do, not just cap on costs.

[turbof1]

There is a limit to how much Wind Tunnel you can do, not just cap on costs.

Not to mention time: with only 1 windtunnel allowed, there are only 24 hours a day (which even might be 8 hours a day) you can really use to test parts. New parts are also much more difficult to make: either you have to redesign large parts of the car, or you have to introduce small parts which make complex changes in the way aero is working on the car. Both need alot of development and aren't seeing that quickly windtunnel light.

[adam2003]

Hi chassis

Can u confirm ur post? Have you a source?

@adam: yes the original car is 100% and in wintunnel is the car 40% smaller = 60% from the original

Example 50% in windtunnel= if the original car is 3meter length in windtunnel the car is only 1.5meters


Thank you

Greets

The car in the video and picture looks proper size doesn't look Nealy half the size of a normal car

[Huntresa]

Hi chassis

Can u confirm ur post? Have you a source?

@adam: yes the original car is 100% and in wintunnel is the car 40% smaller = 60% from the original

Example 50% in windtunnel= if the original car is 3meter length in windtunnel the car is only 1.5meters


Thank you

Greets

The car in the video and picture looks proper size doesn't look Nealy half the size of a normal car

If you have looked at the video you know its not 100%, 3minutes and 25sec you can see how big the persons are compared to the car.

[Richard]

Perhaps it would help some members to have a quick look at the sporting regs http://www.fia.com/sport/Regulations/f1regs.html

Relevant clause are:

22.4(c)(iii) Four one day aerodynamic tests carried out on FIA approved straight line or constant radius sites between 1 January of the current year and the start of the last Event of the Championship. Any of these days may be substituted for four
hours of wind‐on full scale wind tunnel testing to be carried out in a single twenty four hour period.

22.9 With the exception of the full scale testing permitted in 22.4(c)(iii) above, no wind tunnel testing may be carried out using a scale model which is greater than 60% of full size.

22.10 No wind tunnel testing may be carried out at a speed exceeding 50 metres/second.

[hollus]

Mod Edit - this post and next couple of pages moved from F2012 thread.
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Great shots of wind tunnel testing:





The car is connected to the vertical rod holding it in place not on top of the tv camera pod like other wind tunnels but inside the cockpit

Is that Ferraris own Wind tunnel tho ? I mean are the shots zoomed or is it 100% ?

Seeing how they hold the model, I am no longer surprised that not much attention is paid to helmet aerodynamics.
I understand that there is not much leeway in the shape, but I still think that there must be something to be gained or lost depending on helmet's position while cornering (to the inside, centered, to the outside or even rotated).
I can't seem to find any evidence either way, though.

[raymondu999]

Michael Schumacher actually often tilts his head to the side in qualifying on the straights. Martin Brundle once said it was to let more air in through the airbox

[hollus]

I'd call that fixing a design flaw more than optimizing, though...

[skgoa]

Had it actually brought them better performance, you would have seen all drivers do it after a while. And the air inlet is in free air anyways, while almost all the air hitting the driver's helmet will leave the car between the rear wing main element and beam wing. I.e. it's not going to do any work anyways. (They tried to put that air to use with these "nose wings" that were promptly banned for impeeding visibility.) There is almost no point in caring about what the helmet does to the air, apart from the helmet itself having as low drag as possible.

edit: There is something very important to be seen in the last photo: Ferrari (as well as every other team nowadays) mostly test at a slight angle. This is because the car has to work best in curves.

[strad]

They have done a ton of research on the helmet interfering/aiding airflow to the airbox, and how the driver holds his head makes a big difference. They made helmets specifically to try to influence the airflow. This is the very reason I once suggested a side inlet instead of over head, but I'm sure that the overhead design gains from simplicity and overall aeroflow. Since they can't drop the driver, I'm suprised they haven't lobbied for a higher roll hoop/airbox.

[skgoa]

Yeah but at some point there is not much more you can do. Helmets have to have a certain shape to fullfill their primary funktion.

[strad]

you might want to talk to Schuberth et al...they've done a ton of aero work