WAKE TRAVERSES BEHIND PRODUCTION CARS AND THEIR INTERPRETATION

Over the past decades substantial advances have been made in reducing the drag of automobiles. As might have been expected, the early performance gains were relatively easy but future gains are becoming increasingly difficult to achieve. A diagnostic method which is both quantitative and independent of the model is sorely needed. This paper discusses experimental measurements of wakes behind .154-scale model production cars and comparisons to balance measurements. Models, test equipment, and data analysis are discussed. Explanations of the wake flow results in relation to the car modifications are included. Correlation of the wake drag integral to the balance drag measurement is good; however, some questions remain relative to the influence of fixed-ground skin friction.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/01487191
• Supplemental Notes:
  • International Congress and Exposition, Detroit, Michigan, February 25-March 1, 1985.
• Corporate Authors:

  Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)

  400 Commonwealth Drive
  Warrendale, PA  United States  15096
• Authors:
  • Hackett, J E
  • Williams, J E
  • Patrick Jr, J
• Publication Date: 1985

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: 22 p.
• Serial:
  • SAE Technical Paper
  • Publisher: Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)
  • ISSN: 0148-7191
  • EISSN: 2688-3627
  • Serial URL: http://papers.sae.org/

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aerodynamics; Air; Automobiles; Data analysis; Drag; Flow; Mathematical analysis; Measurement; Scale models; Testing equipment
• Uncontrolled Terms: Air flow
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00450784
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: SAE 850280, HS-038 952
• Files: HSL, USDOT
• Created Date: Dec 31 1985 12:00AM