I didn't know where to post this. But what is the purpose of the slightly raised floor edge. I've seems many teams do it but here is a good example of what i mean
astracrazy wrote:that's what i thought, but then why not add guides (like merc have done at the back towards there slot in font of the wheel). why curve the floor up
i suspect that is one reason, but would it also be bringing more air under the car?
Air getting under the car from that direction disturbs the ariflow already flowing there; so I don't think that is the case.
The little curve was first introduced by Ferrari, as far as I remember. One of their applications was also working as small turning vane, pushing more air inboard - the channel that feeds the diffuser.
Basically, the curve's purpose is to serve as small vortex generator, to keep the flow over the floor attached for as long as possible, as this area is quite flat anyway.
Those edges will also directly produce downforce if placed in the right place.
More or less where the bargeborads are, the air flows diagonally; you can take advatage of this situation placing there an airfoil which starts from the leading edge of the floor and ends with the curved surface we are talking about (that works as a flap).
The basic thing to keep in mind is that the flow has a strong lateral component in that zone, so as variante says this raised surface (which is called floor curl I think) can be seen as a raised end of an oblique airfoil with the leading edge at the floor le.
Like a gurney, it also produces a vortex on its backface, that has a small effect 8sealing and low pressure) in aiding the floor
It is not meant to be a guide, the merc vane in front of the rear wheels is not a guide either (see w04 thread).
There is some kind of rule constrining it though, which is about minimum radius along the floor edges (50mm iirc).
I maybe wrong on something, for better indications if someone has access to twitter could ask to @f1_aero, who usually gives good detailed answers
@wesley: I agree on the vortex sealing function (as I worte above). i am not sure that the fee interacted with edge vortex, I think it worked the barge board vortex.
On some cars this year there are two curls: the one at the front works as a gurney and develops a vortex, the one at the back is a curved laeding edge/inlet fro the flow coming in the sides and a small vortex probably rolls around it also as an effect of the difference in pressure between top and bottom facing sides of the floor.
Interesting to see that those cars have two curls, not one long curl, because of the curved streamlines around the sidepods and between floor and road (
The front curl is close to the forward projection of the sidepod floor so that we end up with a wing shape at the corner. The rear curl probably interacts with lateral flow running from the tea tray area and / or the flow caused by the lower face of the front of the sidepod.
If you are more fortunate than others, build a larger table not a taller fence.
