The basic notions that are very important in building
aerodynamics
Copyright 2006 Jason Bibb
Racing car aerodynamics
The basic notions that are very important in building
aerodynamic cars are those that the vehicle has to be very
light, having a certain shape to cut the air and improve grip.
All these techniques in building aerodynamically balanced cars
can be found in the construction of racing cars. In producing
such a light car, some of the body parts are made from carbon
fiber, especially those in the front wing. The wing will produce
a down force because of its design, offering the car a good grip
on the road. Racing car aerodynamics are among the first
concerns of any racing car builder. The shape of the car helps
it use the air, so the car will stick to the ground at a high
speed and even use the air to push the car in front - finding
the perfect combination is not an easy task for the engineers. A
simple mistake in the measurements of the car components could
lead to accidents and driver injuries.
Building an aerodynamics car
There are some components of the car's body that are very
important in creating the perfect aerodynamics for a particular
vehicle. The first one would be the wing that we were talking
about earlier. Another part is represented by the turning vanes,
which will redirect the turbulent flow from the wheels and front
wing. The wheels are the biggest problem in creating the perfect
racing car aerodynamic system. The turbulence from the front
wheels is reduced by the end plates, which will guide the air to
the radiators and the side pods. The perfect shape in creating a
racing car aerodynamics will be the shape of a flying bird.
Because of the aerodynamics, the car will create forces that are
pulling it to the ground, forces that will use the other car's
air currents to gain a grater speed. These forces generated by
the air in combination with the racing car aerodynamics are very
important when the car enters a curve, considering the high
speed of the vehicle. The car has to stay on the ground and this
is made possible by the car's aerodynamic shape. If we want the
car to have a good grip on the road, the flow of air which is
controlled by the shape of the car is important. However, the
road on which the car competes has to be flat - in case that the
road has bumps the car will loose the stability and the grip
created by the aerodynamic system.