Computational and Experimental Study on Aerodynamics of Finltes on a Squareback Body

Abstract:

Finlets with varied length and height on squareback body based on Fiat New Panda were investigated firstly both by computational and experimental ways. The scale wind tunnel tests were performed to obtain the drag coefficient and lift coefficient and the correlations with computational fluid dynamics based on kε turbulent model were studied. It indicated that finlets along the whole C pillar could reduce both the drag coefficient and lift coefficient of a square back body. Finlets could delay air flow separation around C pillars and then decreased the turbulence kinetic energy in the wake. More pressure recovery was realized on the square back body to reduce the pressure gradient of the car body and the drag coefficient can be decreased as a result. Then the finlets with varied figures were simulated and got the results that the all the finlets can reduce the drag and lift coefficient but finlet with rectangle figure was the best.