An hybrid unstructured finite-volume algorithm for road vehicle flow computations with ground effects. (23rd February 2004)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, Y.J.; Lv, Z.H.; Xie, J.M.; Tu, S.R.
• Is Part Of: International journal of vehicle design. Volume 33:Number 4(2003)
• Page Start: 365
• Page End: 380
• Publication Date: 2004-02-23
• Subjects: hybrid grids -- finite-volume algorithm -- road vehicle -- CFD -- ground effects; Motor vehicles -- Design and construction -- Periodicals; 629.231
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0143-3369

Abstract

Grid generation is one of the main difficulties for road vehicle flow computations, and ground proximity effects are unavoidable part of automobile aerodynamics. A hybrid unstructured Navier-Stokes method is presented for the simulation of the incompressible turbulent flows around vehicle bodies. And a ground effect model is given out to investigate the ground effects numerically. RNG-κ-E model is used for turbulence closure. The hybrid grid system is composed of a structured grid for the outer large region of the computational domain, a structured or semi structured grid for the near-wall viscous region, and an unstructured grid for the remainder of the computational domain. The incompressible Navier-Stokes equations are solved on the hybrid grid by a cell-vertex, central differencing finite volume method. The effects of the ground on the body flow distributions have been investigated using a simple car model configuration.