Modeling of the front wing cross-section for a Formula Student Vehicle
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Graduate Student from Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Aeronautics
Rzeszow University of Technology
Al. Powstańców Warszawy 12
35-029 Rzeszów
Poland
2
Department of Aerospace Engineering
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Aeronautics Rzeszow University of Technology
Al. Powstańców Warszawy 12
35-029 Rzeszów, Poland
3
Department of Aerospace Engineering
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Aeronautics
Rzeszow University of Technology
Al. Powstańców Warszawy 12
35-029 Rzeszów, Poland
Corresponding author
Malgorzata Kmiotek
Department of Aerospace Engineering
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Aeronautics Rzeszow University of Technology
Al. Powstańców Warszawy 12
35-029 Rzeszów, Poland
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ABSTRACT
The aim of this article was to design an optimal cross-section of the front wing for a Formula Student vehicle, conducted in compliance with applicable technical and aerodynamic regulations. The article focuses on analyzing various configurations of four-element wings supported by Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations to evaluate multiple wing configurations and to study their aerodynamic properties. Key design variables included angle of attack, geometry, and chord length ratio on aerodynamic efficiency. Numerical analyses were performed using the finite volume method in ANSYS Fluent, and aerodynamic performance was assessed based on downforce and drag coefficients, which are crucial for the vehicle's performance.
The optimization criterion was defined as the maximization of the product of wing chord length and downforce coefficient c•c_z, enabling a balanced assessment of aerodynamic efficiency. Among ten analyzed configurations, the optimal design achieved a maximum value c•c_z of 1.010 m, with a downforce coefficient of c_z =2.056 and a drag coefficient of c_x=0.249. The optimal configuration angles of attack of -7°, 7.5°, 28°, And 38°, along with chord length ratios of 0.73, 0.53, and 0.39. The results confirm that CFD-based parametric optimization is an effective approach for enhancing front wing aerodynamic efficiency in Formula Student applications.