Aerodynamic performance comparison of various hatchback rear spoiler configurations using CFD analysis

• Main Author: Zainuddin, Mohamed Al-Sideque
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English; English
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: T Technology (General); TL Motor vehicles. Aeronautics. Astronautics
• Online Access: http://eprints.utem.edu.my/id/eprint/20534/1/Aerodynamic%20performance%20comparison%20of%20various%20hatchback%20rear%20spoiler%20configurations%20using%20CFD%20analysis.pdf; http://eprints.utem.edu.my/id/eprint/20534/2/Aerodynamic%20performance%20comparison%20of%20various%20hatchback%20rear%20spoiler%20configurations%20using%20CFD%20analysis.pdf; http://eprints.utem.edu.my/id/eprint/20534/; https://plh.utem.edu.my/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=105211
• Institution: Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka

Many popular automotive accessory makers offer tremendous aerodynamic aids that come with variety of designs which intentionally to attract customer's satisfaction and excitement.Even though the rear spoiler is one of the key players in vehicle aerodynamics aids,yet many of automobile enthusiasts never concerned about the idea behind the wing type spoiler,in particular,the inverted-aerofoil profile design and the aerodynamic benefit for different wing type spoiler's configuration especially for hatchback type vehicle.Thus,the aims of the present study were to design and develop 3 CFD generic model of hatchback rear spoiler - wing type configurations and to assess the aerodynamic performance i.e. drag coefficient (CD) and lift coefficient (CL) parameters of the developed CFD generic model of wing type spoiler on simplified hatchback model using Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) method.To facilitate the investigation,modeling of 3 CFD generic model of wing type spoiler together with Ahmed Body was conducted using CAD software,CATIA V5R21.Aerodynamic performance comparison for various configurations of wing spoiler model were analyzed by using ANSYS Fluent as the solver for Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) simulation.Validation of the numerical method was carried out by comparing the numerically obtained results of Ahmed model without the spoiler to the experimental results found in the literature.In general,the presence of wing spoiler designed with NACA 2412-63 profile has an increase of about 8% in CD with significant decrease of 112% inCL.Thus,the study reveals that installing a wing spoiler on a hatchback vehicle will promote a variety of benefits in term of better traction for vehide stability due to considerable effect on lift reduction and good aesthetic appearance,but a very insignificant increase in the coefficient of drag. Hence,in particular to this study,the wing spoiler "Type C" is deemed to be the most recommended design of wing type spoiler for hatchback vehicle.