Very interesting wind tunnel study.

[Howard Jones]

This study uses a baseline that is similar to an SLC in basic concept. The main difference being the far more blunt nose. However, since the majority of the studies focus is on the effects on drag and downforce with adding and deleting both wings, spoilers, and diffusers it is quite interesting.

Drag reduction by application of aerodynamic devices in a race car - Advances in Aerodynamics

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[Howard Jones]

sorry for the double post. Moderator, please remove one or the other, thanks

 

[Brian]

Very cool Read. So an Effective Diffuser is a MUST and then it is a flip between spoiler for no drag but also limited down force. Or go the route of a Wing with which provides a lot of down force but also has the most drag. I wish they would have done the model with a spoiler AND a wing would they off set each other to provide the best of both or negate each other. That would be interesting to know.

But, a great and very informative read! Thanks for posting it Howard

 

[Jeff W]

Nice find with the paper. Also scratching my head about the blunt profile and wondering how contouring the nose might shift drag and lift for the rest of the body. Really interesting to see the tradeoffs between downforce and drag - but downforce from the wing is just “inverse lift”, and more lift = more drag.

 

[Neil]

That is useful information- thank you, Howard.

 

[Terry Oxandale]

When I read "spoiler", I had something different in mind than the relatively tiny profile used here, indeed aesthetic as noted in the text, but even then, it does have an impact