Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis of airflow around a car model

using Solidworks Flow Simulation

Version 27.01.2015, 11:46
To display the CFD features, click View in menu, and tick the Navigation Pane
in the show tab. Now chapters, steps, and tasks are shown.
1. Explore and Assemble the Car and Wind tunnel
First, build a car and a wind tunnel of realistic dimensions in Solidworks. Build
a car, a wind tunnel, and the assembly for CFD simulation is described in Step
1, 2, and 3.
Step 1.1. Build a car of a basic shape
The object should be recognisable as a car, but not necessarily possessing all the
small features such as rear view mirrors and not necessarily being well
streamlined. Choose realistic car dimensions. The bottom of tyres should be flat
to mate them with the wind tunnel later.
Create a new Part. Set Y as the vertical axis and Z aligned with the direction
of the car motion. Choose the right plane and click the sketch button to draw the
car sketch.

Use the three arc point tool to draw wheels, then draw a horizontal line in the
half circle as the bottoms of the tyres.

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Remove the rest arc of tyres bottom by using trim to closet in Trim entities
tool and clicking the surplus arc at the bottom.

Similarly, remove segments of the car bottom line above the wheels so that a
close contour is completed. Use Extruded boss/base tool in features ribbon are
to make the car 3-dimensional: extrude the sketch in x direction and set the car
width.

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Now the tyres must be cut. There are many ways to create wheels such as draw
a car body and add four wheels separately. Here, we draw a rectangular contour
like in the picture and use the Extruded cut tool remove the surplus
rectangular part.

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Finally, a body with four wheels is created as shown below.

Step 1.2. Build a wind tunnel

Use the same way as above to create a new solid part document where build a
wind tunnel. Note that the wind tunnel should be large enough to reduce the

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influence of walls on the flow around the car model as much as possible. For
example the wind tunnel dimensions can be 25m8m6m, and its wall
thickness can be, say, 200 mm.
There are many ways to build a wind tunnel. One is to make a block and hollow
it by extruded cut. Create a block 25.4m8.4m6.4m and insert a reference
plane (Reference Geometry tab) inside it 200 mm away from the bottom.
Then, sketch a rectangle (8m6m) on the reference plane and finally hollow the
block using Extruded Cut command (25m). Some steps are shown as below.

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Step 1.3. Assemble the car and wind tunnel
Create a new Assembly file to assemble the car and the wind tunnel parts.
Insert the Car part and Wind Tunnel part in, by Insert Components
command in Insert Components tap of assembly ribbon.

In order to be able to see the car inside the wind tunnel, right click on the
Wind Tunnel part and choose Component displayHidden Lines Visible to
make it transparent.

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Mate the bottom surface of the wheels of the car model and the inner surface
of the bottom of the wind tunnel: use the Mate tool from the Assembly
toolbar. To select the inner, not outer, surface of the wind tunnel, right click and
choose select other option. Position the car exactly in the middle between the
walls (by using Mating command again) and slightly closer to the inlet of the
wind tunnel to enable better resolution of the wake behind the car (Mate
command again).

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Finally, the car is placed in the wind tunnel.

2. Aerodynamics Analysis of the Car using Solidworks Flow Simulation

SolidWorks Flow Simulation is the only fluid flow analysis tool for designers
that is fully embedded inside SolidWorks. There are several steps to the
analysis:
1) Create a design in SolidWorks (already done);
2) Create a project file in SolidWorks Flow Simulation. The project contains
all the settings and results of a problem and each project that is associated
with a SolidWorks configuration;
3) Run the analysis: Solidworks solves the equations describing the fluid
flow;
4) Viewing the Flow Simulation results which include:
Flow visualisation:
Vectors, Contours, Isolines
Cut Plots, Surface, Flow Trajectories, Isosurfaces
Numerical outputs:
XY Plots (MS Excel)
Goals (MS Excel)
Surface Parameters
Reports (MS Word)
Reference Fluid Temperatures

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Check before using SolidWorks Flow Simulation. If the flow simulation
toolbox is not installed by default, click Tools, Add-ins, and then click
SolidWorks Flow Simulation 2013 to load SolidWorks Flow Simulation.

Now, perform the aerodynamic analysis of the car.

Create a Flow simulation Project
Step 2.1. Set up the Flow Simulation
1) Click Flow Simulation, and go to Wizard .
2) Configuration name for the project: select create new to create a
new configuration, name it sensibly, say,
Car_non_streamlined_20mps, and click Next.

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3) Unit System: Choose SI (m-kg-s) in the Unit system column, then
click Next.

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4) Analysis Type and Physical Features: Leave all the setting as it is,
do not tick any physical features. Then click Next.

5) Default Fluid: under Gases, select Air and then click Add. Flow type
will be Laminar and Turbulent with no regard to compressibility
and humidity. Then click Next.

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 6) Wall Conditons: Default thermal condition is the Adiabatic wall (no
heat exchange) and zero roughness. Click Next.

7) Environmental Conditions: First leave Pressure 101325 Pa

(standard pressure), Temperature 293.2 K (room temperature) and
some Turbulence intensity (say, 2%). As mentioned in a briefing
lecture, the Turbulence intensity is a somewhat arbitrary parameter
which in reality varies across the flow domain. Being unable
predicting it, one usually choses the value providing results most
similar to experimental.
8) Set Velocity in Z direction 20 m/s, and Turbulence length 0.05 m.
Again, a somewhat arbitrary parameter characterising turbulent eddy
size. Click Next.
Note that in real world, the car would be moving through the stationary air. In a
wind tunnel, the car is stationary and air is moving. These set-ups are identical
except for the air behaviour in the gap under the car.

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 9) Results and Geometry Resolution: Manually specify the minimum
gap size (say, 0.05m), and the minimum wall thickness (say,
0.05m). Click Finish.
The result resolution should be set to yield acceptably accurate results within
a reasonable amount time. Ideally, compare results obtained at different result
resolutions to find the acceptable minimum.

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Step 2.2. Set up Boundary Conditions and Simulation Goals
Flow simulation analysis tree
A tab for the Flow Simulation analysis tree is added to the Feature Manager
area. Click on the Flow Simulation analysis tree tab . Expand the Input Data
listing.

Set up boundary conditions

In the Flow simulation drop-out menu select the Boundary conditions.

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Then select the inner face of the wind tunnel (right clickselect other option)
and set the inlet velocity flow, 20 m/s (72 km/h, 45 mph).

On the outlet, set the environment pressure. Select the inner face (inlet and
outlet), right clickselect other and then choose from the planes in the list.

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Setting up the simulation Goals
Insert global goals.
Now set up simulation goals. Select the whole car and de-select the flat bottoms
of the wheels mated to the wind tunnel as they are not in contact with the flow.
Set the Forces goal. The aim is to find the drag, lift, and the side force acting
on the model.
Right click Goals in the Flow Simulation analysis tree and select the Insert
Global Goals from the shortcut menu. Select the Force (X), Force (Y), Force
(Z), and then tick. With the selected axis, the global goal Force (X) is the side
force; similarly, the Force (Y) is the lift and Force (Z) is the drag.

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Rename the goals
To remember the goals easily, from its physical view, it may be convenient to
rename them: GG Force (X) Side force, GG Force(Y)Lift, and GG
Force(Z)Drag.

Insert Surface goals

Surface goal is a physical parameter calculated on a user-specified face of the
model (car). So you may insert surface goals to calculate the force on front
panel of the car or other parts.

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Step 2.3. Running the Analysis
This starts the calculation for the current project.
Run the analysis
Right-click the project name and click Run. Alternatively, click Flow
Simulation, Solve, Run, or click Run Solver on the Flow Simulation
toolbar.

Solver information
The Solution Monitor window appears after few seconds or so. On the right of
the window, the log steps taken in the solution process is displayed. On the left
is the information window with mesh information and any warnings.

Usually, the simulation takes less than half an hour. You may spend this time
performing back-of-the-envelope estimates required later in this lab.

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Goal Plot

When you click Goal Plot , the Add/Remove Goals dialog appears. Select
the goals whose plots you want to view and click OK.

For each goal selected in the Add/Remove Goals dialog box, the Goal Plot
shows the goal convergence diagram.

Goal Table
Goal Table shows the list of all specified goals and contains the same
information as the upper portion of the Goal Plot window.

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Save the file
After investing time in running the analysis it is prudent to save your work.

2.4 Viewing the Results

Once the calculation is finished, you can view the saved calculation results
through numerous Flow Simulation options in a customized manner directly
within the graphics area. The results options are:

Cut Plots (section view of parameter distribution)

Surface Plots (parameter distribution on a selected surface)
Isosurfaces
Flow Trajectories (streamlines and particle trajectories)
Goal Plot (behavior of the specified goals during the calculation)
XY Plots (parameter change along a curve, sketch)
Surface Parameters (getting parameters at specified surfaces)
Point Parameters (getting parameters at specified points)
Report (project report output into Microsoft Word)
Animation of results
We will view the flow trajectories and surface plots the next.

Accessing the Results

1) Load the results.
Right-click Results in the Flow Simulation analysis tree and select Load. If
Unload appears in the list, the results have already been loaded.

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The Load Results window opens. Select 3.fld (or whichever file appropriate)
and click Open to load the results file.

2) Mesh
Insert the Mesh plot: Right click Mesh3D view (below the results). Note
that it is only possible to perform when the simulation is finished as the mesh
construction is a part of the simulation. For the Fluid cells, set its value All.
Then click Apply and OK.

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Zoom in the mesh plot and note that the mesh is finer around the model corners
and curve surfaces.

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Task A
Save the results by using screenshots which will be included to your report.
3) Flow Trajectories
Plotting flow trajectories is a way to qualitatively understand the computed flow
structure. They are analogous to the streamers of smoke in a wind tunnel.
To illustrate the flow structure around the car, insert the flow trajectories
adjacent to different panels. Present a set of plots sufficient to recognize main
features of the flow. Check whether the flow separates from the back of the car.
It does separate from the back of a car in real life.
Insert a flow trajectory
Right-click Flow Trajectories in the Flow Simulation analysis tree, and select
Insert. For Reference, select the faces of the car body as shown:
Front, top, and left side faces
Faces that form the tread portion of the front and rear of car
Set the Number of Points to, for example, 50. For Draw trajectories as, select
Line with Arrow and set value, for example, 0.01m. Leave the other settings
at their default values. Select the car front panels for the panel of Starting
Point. Then click tick.

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Adjust the colour scale to visualise pressure.
The colour if streamlines represents pressure. Click on the top value of the
legend and enter the value relevant for your simulation (in this example it is
101575 Pa). Repeat this process for the bottom value (here, 100930 Pa).

Select the legend, then right clickEdit, set the top and bottom value in the
blanket.

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Note: The main reason not to use the default values but to enter specific ones is
because when the design is changed, the minimum and maximum pressure
values will be different. That means red would represent one pressure on one
plot and a different pressure on another plot. Using the same minimum and
maximum settings for each analysis allows for meaningful comparisons
between different iterations of the design.

Experiment with Other Flow Trajectories

There are two ways to experiment with flow trajectories:
Edit the definition of the existing plot
Insert a new plot
When multiple sets of flow trajectories are present at a plot, they can be
displayed selectively.
To hide the flow trajectory, right-click Flow Trajectories 1 and select Hide.
To Insert a new flow trajectory, right-click Flow Trajectories, and select
Insert.
Select left side panel of the car. Set the Number of Points. For Draw
trajectories as, select Line, set value 1. Click OK.

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Examples of streamline plots are shown below.

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The plot with lines of the flow separation marked. In this case, the flow leaves
the car surface at almost every sharp corner. The picture will be more
complicated for rounded shapes.

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4) Cut Plots
To insert a cut plot is just like the way of inserting a new flow trajectory. Right
side plane cut plot of the car and its results.

Select appropriate colour scheme, so that the pressure features will be visible.
Think why the pressure is higher in some areas and lower in the others.
Compare pressure with its free stream value.
If too few or none contours are seen on the plot, try to narrow the limits of the
pressure scale. For example, if the whole plane looking like above figure almost
all is light green, change the scale limits to 101480 and 101150.

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Then, insert a cut plot for the back of car and the legend limits is changed into
101329 Pa and 101279 Pa.

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3. Lab report
1) Present a screenshot of the computational mesh.
2) Illustrate the flow structure around the car by presenting several
streamline plots. The flow structure in the wake behind the car must be
visualised.
3) Present a set of pressure cut plots. Explain why in some area the pressure is
higher and in some lower than the free stream pressure.
4) Identify lines of the flow separation i.e. the lines where the flow leaves the
car surface. Mark the lines by hand (using Paint or any other image editing
software) at the car surface;
5) Present aerodynamic forces acting on the model
The preceding examples of flow trajectories and cut plots were excellent tools
for visualizing how the air flows and pressure around the car. However, they are
more qualitative than quantitative. Lets move on to a more quantitative
interpretation of results.
In the analysis tree, expand the Results listing and right clickGoal Plots.
Select Insert from the shortcut menu. Click All. Click OK.

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When click Export to Excel, the MS Excel is launched and a spreadsheet opens.
The first three columns show the name of the goal, the units and the computed
value.

In the example shown, the drag force is approximately 610 N, the downward lift
force is approximately 2.8N, and side force of approximately 0.28 N.
6) Select a panel, for example, the front one. Cite the total force acting on the
selected panel (a surface goal) and compare it with the order-of-magnitude

estimate , where is the area of the panel, is the air density

(1.2kg/m3), and V is the free stream flow speed. Dose the calculation make
sense?
7) Cite the drag force acting on the model and find the power required to
overcome the drag (both in KW and in Horse Powers);
8) Cite the lift force acting on the model. Compare it with the car weight. Is the
anti-wing (also known as spoiler) useful in this case?
9) Improve the car aerodynamics
To minimize the drag, a car should have a shape which keeps the flow attached.
In other words, the flow separation should be avoided. Using lines, arcs and
splines to smooth the edges to prevent flow detachment, make the faces oblique
to the flow etcetera.
When optimising the shape, a restriction is imposed:
DO NOT change the car frontal area, i.e. the area of the car silhouette as view
from the front. For example, rounding corners like in Fig. 3.1, has changed the
area. The modification shown in Fig 3.2 keeps frontal area constant. Perform
calculation with the streamlined model and discuss the results. Watch carefully
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the flow structure in the wake behind the car: only for a very streamlined shape
the flow will remain attached to the car. You may need to introduce an artificial
kink at the rear of the model to tell the software that the flow must detach
from the car body.

Fig. 3.1

Fig. 3.2

10) Plot and compare the flow structure around the basic and the streamlined
model and comment on the differences. Indicate lines of the flow separation
for the streamlined model.
11) Cite and compare lift and drag force acting on the basic and streamlined
cars. Calculate the drag coefficients of the basic and streamlined cars from

the formula  Here the area of the car frontal

silhouette is used. Note that for a reasonably shaped car 0.2>CD>1. If the
coefficient obtained is not in this specific range, either find the error or explain
the computation outcome.
12) Calculate and compare the engine power required to overcome the drag for
basic and streamlined cars. Calculate the fuel consumption in miles per gallon
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if the energy loss occurs only due to the aerodynamic drag. Assume the engine
efficiency 25% and the petrol calorific value of 45 MJ/kg.

Avoid the over-precision in answers. At the level of aerodynamic modelling

the SolidWorks provides, 3 significant figures are more than enough when
citing calculated values.

The Lab report should contain streamline plots, cut plots, and address the
tasks from 1 to 12 and should not exceed 6 pages.

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