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I beleive this is the new trick for 2012. Front wings that have strategically located air jets in them.

What are these holes(jets) for? Are they for blowing the wing?
Nope, too small! A 1 inch diameter hole is not big enough to blow a whole front wing plane. And blowing and stalling the front wing would just mess up the whole downstream air distribution that teams spend thousands of hours to optimize.While very important Front wing down force is not the name of the game here. It is the design conditions behind the front wing. The Wake.

Each hole is the inlet to an intricate nozzle(s) inside the wing - The nozzles are strategically aimed to improve the wake of the front wing.

These nozzles are located very close to the origin of a selected front wing vortex generator. They add directional energy to the generated vortex by injecting air into it from a designed angle, adding more swirl and strength; also extending the life and hence range of the vortex allowing more effective manipulation of the air conditions around and under the car by the engineers.

I think Mclaren and Mercedes have been running these wings in testing (2012) - seen by all but identified by none - until now.

These new breed of wings are classified internally by the name of "V-WINGS"

My drawing below. What do you guys think of this theory?

You may be on to something. Like you stated the jet would inject added energy and raise the axial velocity of vortex stream. My interpretation is that this stronger more tightly wrapped vortex will help draw more high speed air, from the free stream, along the slower boundary layer. This will help the boundary layer to not thicken up and will greatly increase the effectiveness of surfaces aft of the wing. Also the added energy will allow the vortex to take longer to dissipate and it will cut down on wake turbulence.

Are there any features roughly downstream that would indicate a subtle change of design philosophy?

(i.e. the 2nd element geometry, or brake ducts or suspension members?)



It is very possible.

I am not sure. My doubt is about the level of total pressure -would the total pressure of the flow rom the duct be high enough to enhance the vortex?

I am more inclined towards axial accelratio , as I have written many times.

This thread highlights the big importance vortices have in f1 aero, not only for flow conditioning, but also for direct downforce production.

I am more inclined towards axial accelration , as I have written many times.

Can you explain what you mean here? Are device that does this? Or you think mclaren are doing this? In what way?

n smikle wrote:I beleive this is the new trick for 2012. Front wings that have strategically located air jets in them.

Possible. Certainly a theory I could get behind. Nice thinking.

I don't see how you have a net gain in vortex energy. This flow has has to go though a slot loosing 15-25% of its velocity is direction changes.

Does the flow in the vortex groove slow faster than the air flow on the outside?

Brian

The reasoning behind the net again is not in the axial direction, but applied in a tangential direction.

n smikle wrote:

I am more inclined towards axial accelration , as I have written many times.

Can you explain what you mean here? Are device that does this? Or you think mclaren are doing this? In what way?

I think that exhausts have been, and aer being, used to accelerate vortices along their axis( footplate vortices for ebd, bargeboard vortices for fee last year; this year again the footplate vortices are the target).

Acceleration of a vortex along its axes increases the strength of its low pressure core as a consequence of helmholtz theorem, and this phenomenon is called vortex stretching.

I have written it too many times now... I will soon start to get reported if I write it again

Yes I know about the exhaust as that is a separate source of energy but since exhaust is nowhere near the FW, I wanted to know how you would do it when you said this:

I am not sure. My doubt is about the level of total pressure -would the total pressure of the flow rom the duct be high enough to enhance the vortex?

I have some Ideas of how to do this axially but it will make the front wing more inefficient (uses up more space too) so that is why I choose the tangential direction to add energy. Some of the teams have been using the tangential direction too. See the Mclaren end-plate with the rear "guide vane" (the vertical curved part in black) The high pressure from the top surfaces of the foot plate and the inner srufaces of the wing force air to roll down the side of curved foot plate - adding in the tangential direction to the vortex.

shelly wrote:I think that exhausts have been, and aer being, used to accelerate vortices along their axis( footplate vortices for ebd, bargeboard vortices for fee last year; this year again the footplate vortices are the target).

What current components or features are available to create the footplate vortices?

Brian

n smikle wrote: I choose the tangential direction to add energy.

Is the velocity of the vortex at the tangential injection point slower than the flow that you wish to add? Why?

Brian

It's higher because there is a nozzle.

Trying to understand.....

So the flow through the vortex channel is slowed by surface drag or the generation of the vortex?


Basic question: How does the channel form a vortex? I understand the movement from a high to low pressure area on the strakes, bargeboards, etc., but don't see how that model fits in this case.

Brian

We can examine this:

http://www.racecar-engineering.com/arti ... 4th-march/