Title
Effects of an Air Spoiler on the Wake of a Road Vehicle by PIV Measurements
Abstract
A particle image velocimetry (PIV) technique has been used to analyze the flow characteristics behind a road vehicle with/without an air spoiler attached on its trunk and also to estimate its effect on the wake. A vehicle model scaled in the ratio of 1/43 is set up in the mid-section of a closed-loop water tunnel. The Reynolds number based on the vehicle length is 10$^5$. To investigate the three-dimensional structure of the recirculation zone and vortices, measurements are carried out on the planes both parallel and perpendicular to the free stream, respectively. The results show significantly different vorticity distributions in the recirculation region according to the existence of the air spoiler. The focus and the saddle point, appearing in the wake, are disposed differently along the spanwise direction. Regarding the streamwise vortices, the air spoiler produces large wing tip vortices. They have opposite rotational directions to C-pillar vortices which are commonly observed in the case that an air spoiler is absent. The wing tip vortices generate the down force and as a result, they might make the vehicle more stable in driving.
Year
DOI
Venue
2006
10.1007/BF03181780
J. Visualization
Keywords
Field
DocType
PIV,road vehicle,Three-dimensional wake,Air spoiler,Isovorticity surface
Wake,Particle image velocimetry,Wingtip vortices,Downforce,Reynolds number,Vorticity,Vortex,Optics,Aerospace engineering,Mechanics,Water tunnel,Physics
Journal
Volume
Issue
ISSN
9
4
1343-8875
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
1
0.59
2
Authors
5
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Jin Seok Kim110.59
Sungcho Kim210.59
J. Sung351.84
Jeong Soo Kim441.72
Jongwook Choi510.59