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Several Formula One designs came close to the ground-effect solution which would eventually be implemented by Lotus. In 1968 and 1969, Tony Rudd and Peter Wright at British Racing Motors (BRM) experimented on track and in the wind tunnel with long aerodynamic section side panniers to clean up the turbulent airflow between the front and rear ...
CFD software called F1 Virtual Wind Tunnel [3] was designed by Denford Ltd. specifically for the challenge, although teams mostly tend to use other packages such as the Ansys Workbench or Autodesk Simulation suites. The competition is currently operational in over 40 countries. [4] The competition was first introduced in the UK in 1999. [5]
A sample wind tunnel layout showing some typical features including a test section and control room, a machine for pumping air continuously through ducting, and a nozzle for setting the test airspeed. A wind tunnel is "an apparatus for producing a controlled stream of air for conducting aerodynamic experiments". [1]
Large Low Speed Wind Tunnel 2.1 m (6 ft 11 in) by 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) Low Turbulence Wind Tunnel 0.8 m (2 ft 7 in) by 0.6 m (2 ft 0 in) Open Jet Wind Tunnel 1.1 m (3 ft 7 in) diameter United Kingdom University of British Columbia Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel [90] 2.5 m × 1.6 m × 23.6 m (8 ft 2 in × 5 ft 3 in × 77 ft 5 in)
Most motor sport aerodynamic analysis is performed using wind tunnel testing. This becomes difficult for drafting cases, if only because a very large wind tunnel is needed. CFD, a kind of virtual wind tunnel, is used by race teams to understand the car's performance while drafting.
The R. J. Mitchell Wind Tunnel is a closed test section, closed return type wind tunnel powered by a 746 kW (1,000 hp) electric motor. The test section is 3.5m wide by 2.4m high (11 ft by 8 ft) and the tunnel is capable of creating wind speeds of up to 40 m/s (90 mph).
The Lotus 79 was the first F1 car to take full advantage of ground effect aerodynamics. Over the span of its lifetime, the Lotus 79 took 7 wins, 10 pole positions, 121 points and won the last drivers' and constructors' world championships for Lotus. The 79 is credited with pushing Formula One into the modern aerodynamics era.
The rounded and tapered shape of the top of a car is designed to slice through the air and minimize wind resistance. [citation needed] Detailed pieces of bodywork on top of the car can be added to allow a smooth flow of air to reach the downforce-creating elements (e.g., wings or spoilers, and underbody tunnels). [citation needed]