2017-2018 / MECA0493-2

Vehicle aerodynamics

Duration

15h Th, 10h Pr

Number of credits

 Master in electro-mechanical engineering (120 ECTS)2 crédits  
 Master in mechanical engineering (120 ECTS)2 crédits  
 Certificate in sustainable automotive engineering2 crédits  

Lecturer

Grigorios Dimitriadis

Language(s) of instruction

English language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

Aerodynamics plays a very important role in the design of modern road vehicles. There are four main considerations:

  • the detailed flowfield around the car,
  • the forces and moments applied by the wind on the car,
  • engine cooling and heating,
  • ventilation and noise
The most important objective of modern car aerodynamics is the improvement of fuel efficiency, which can be increased by decreasing the aerodynamic drag acting on the car, especially at high speeds. Additional considerations concern turning performance and stability under crosswind. 

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

The aim of this course is to introduce students to some basic aspects of the subject of vehicle aerodynamics. The detailed objectives are:

  • Introduction to the aerodynamic design of road vehicles
  • Design tools: wind tunnel and simulation
  • History of car aerodynamics
  • Performance and stability
  • Aerodynamics of race cars

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

MECA0025-1 Fluid Mechanics

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

This is a first semester course. It is divided into 4 lectures and a wind tunnel laboratory sessions. The participation in the wind tunnel laboratory is mandatory.

Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning)

Face-to-face in English

Recommended or required readings

The lecture notes are available online in the form of Powerpoint presentations. Recommended textbooks:

  • Aerodynamics for Road Vehicles, Edited by Wolf-Heinrich Hucho, 4th Edition, SAE International, Warrendale, PA.
  • Race car aerodynamics - Designing for speed, J. Katz, Bentley Publishers, Cambridge, MA

Assessment methods and criteria

The assessment is based on:

  • the laboratory report (50%)
  • the innovation project conducted during the automotive sustainable engineering Master (50%)

Work placement(s)

N/A

Organizational remarks

The participation in the laboratory is mandatory.

Contacts

Prof. G. Dimitriadis Aeroelasticity and Experimental Aerodynamics (AEA) Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering  Quartier Polytech 1, Allée de la Découverte 9 Room +2/424  Tel: +32 (0)4 3669815 Email: gdimitriadis@ulg.ac.be
Dr. T. Andrianne Soufflerie Aérodynamique Quartier Polytech 1 , Allée de la Découverte 13D B52/9 Tel: +32 (0)4 3669336 Email: t.andrianne@ulg.ac.be