F1technical.net

Hi everyone . I just joined the forum, this by far seems to be the perfect location to interact on F1 technical aspect.
Anyways, coming to the topic. I hope this is the right section of forum to begin this discussion.

Being a Mechanical engineering student, I'm interested in doing publishing a research paper on Aerodynamics aspects of F1. I know this sounds vague. I was hoping if anyone could please help me with a topic on above mentioned branch so that I can build a rigid platform on that & proceed with research. The reason why I choose this stream is because faculties in our Institution under Thermal / fluid mechanics branch are highly expertise.

Looking forward to hear from you guys
Keep revvin' & Drive safe

Pavan_MP423 wrote:Hi everyone . I just joined the forum, this by far seems to be the perfect location to interact on F1 technical aspect.
Anyways, coming to the topic. I hope this is the right section of forum to begin this discussion.

Being a Mechanical engineering student, I'm interested in doing publishing a research paper on Aerodynamics aspects of F1. I know this sounds vague. I was hoping if anyone could please help me with a topic on above mentioned branch so that I can build a rigid platform on that & proceed with research. The reason why I choose this ,ostream is because faculties in our Institution under Thermal / fluid mechanics branch are highly expertise.

Looking forward to hear from you guys
Keep revvin' & Drive safe

You could do a paper on optimizing a wing to operaate directtly in front of spinning wheels.

Good suggestion. Another topic could be investigating how Reynold number affects vortex strength - comparing 60%models vs 1:1 scale

I second shelly's excellent topic. if you're also interested in thermal and in a more complicated task, you could look at the side pod radiator intake aerodynamics: size-speed-spill drag-expansion ratio-cooling. (I admit this might be too much to take on, but it was fascinating in the 3 classes I had on it for jet engines.)

I really like the 60% vs 100% scale tunnel idea.

On the other hand, I feel like external aerodynamics are played out when it comes to this kinda thing. How about internal aerodynamics? Transient flow analysis (i.e. with varying boundary conditions)... for an airbox/intake or exhaust manifold?

Pierce89 wrote: You could do a paper on optimizing a wing to operaate directtly in front of spinning wheels.

Interesting . I'll definitely look upon that..

@Shelly can you please be more distinct about 60% vs 100% scale tunnel ? Affecting vortex strength on any particular element of the car?



@JerseyTom transient flow analysis sounds interesting too.

Well, guys please high lighten to me the various softwares required to be mastered to successfully execute the research.
I'm sure Catia v5 is needed, Ansys too. And our institute hasn't provided course on CFD , I reckon that's very much necessary to do this paper. Anything else required?

Thank you very much for your thoughts and ideas. Let's keep this discussion going.

Cheers.
Keep revvin'
Drive safe

If I were you, I would play to the strengths of your degree: you study mechanical engineering but want to do research in aerodynamics, which is fine, but you need to accept that your paper is in a field where many people will have an inherent advantage over you. Most people do papers to make them an expert in one field, and thus improve employment prospects (unless you want to spend your life as an academic), which is in many ways a competition between you and the next guy as to who has the most interesting/groundbreaking paper.

Aerodynamicists are going to have done a whole lot more stuff with wings than you, I am sorry but thats just the truth, they are going to have more experience with separation and will have seen lots more stuff in general in the wind tunnel. However, mechanical engineers will often do significantly more fluid dynamics that could relate to internal aerodynamics and certainly phase shifts. Maybe you could look at novel methods of thrust vectoring fluid flow out of an exhaust? Controlling the exhaust direction and flow is extremely important these days and it would likely play to your strengths.

Jersey Tom wrote:I really like the 60% vs 100% scale tunnel idea.

So do I - offering some insight from TM wind tunnel.

One more vote for the so-popular Coanda effect, how the exhaust pipes were modified, etc.

An interesting and potentially useful study would involve identifying the simplifying assumptions commonly used, i.e. inviscid and incompressible air, and determine the limitations on validity of the idealized case. Much of the better work has been done for aircraft lift/drag and boundary layer purposes since the atmosphere is a constant, or at least can’t be controlled. Obviously port flow is an entirely different game.

The subject is too broad for a comprehensive study, but ground vehicles present some intriguing opportunities.

The previous posters who mentioned that you'll be starting way behind the aero students are correct. It's not impossible, but you'll have a lot of catch up learning-as-you-go instead of having a basis from your class work. How about figuring out how one of these FRIC systems works and write generic equations relating things like chassis torque from braking to hydraulic ram size, etc. You'll have to make many assumptions, such as working fluid pressure (but this is what real engineers have to do when getting started on something totally new). If you do this, we'll see if the moderators can give you a +100 - just before you disappear off this forum inside an F1 team.