Force India will be be using an interim double decker diffuser design for the Bahrain GP. I believe if it works out right, the team will come at par in terms of pace with some of the cars. With Sutil missing out on golden points laps away from finish, AGAIN, this will hopefully not just be a moral boost for the drivers!
Archive for Mechanical Engg
Rear diffusers in formula 1 – in controversy
update – Diffuser hearing result is out. My article “Diffusers legal in F1″
So what exactly is the rear diffuser controversy in formula one? I did some reading and understanding about that and would like to present a basic understanding about it.
- Aerodynamics has two major functions in a F1 car:
- increase downforce of the car i.e. push the car down on the road providing better grip and thus handling
- reduce the drag on the car and consequently improving top speed of the car.
- Diffuser is a component involved in improving the aerodynamics of the car.
- One way of producing the required downforce on the car (other than front and rear wings) is what I can be simply explained as the ‘converse of the airplane effect’ – The air flow over and below the car is adjusted in such a way that the pressure over the car is higher (air flows at lower velocity, in accordance with Bernoulli’s principle) and the pressure below the car is lower (air flows at higher velocity). Thus, with a higher pressure on top, it pushes the car downward generating the downforce. This downforce can account for as much as 25-30% of total downforce produced.
- So the principle is to accelerate the air flow beneath the car, to make it it reach larger velocity to get a higher pressure difference. This is done by a narrower flow cross section in the undertray of the car.
- Then the diffuser comes in. The diffuser as the name suggests is basically a passage with increasing cross sectional area. This slows down the air and increases its pressure. Slowing down the air to a similar speed as that coming from the top helps in preventing flow separation from the undertray profile. Flow separation can lead to heavy drag losses so the diffuser has to be precisely designed for this. The increased pressure also fills up the wake region behind the car and prevents drag losses due to difference in nose pressure and low tail pressure caused due to wake formation.
- Another way of aiding this process is by opening the exhaust of the car into this diffuser which helps in sucking air more quickly from underneath the car.
- Now the larger the volume of the diffuser – the better its performance both in terms of reducing flow separation and also through design achieving a higher air velocity at the bottom (i.e. a lower pressure). This is exactly what some of the teams (Brawn, Toyota and Williams) seem to have succeeded in doing.
Firstly it is very important to see and understand a rear diffuser as per rules. As you shall clearly see it does not make any use of the rear crash structure for its aerodynamic passages. Take a look McLaren MP4-24 rear diffuser design – FIA report
There are two aspects to this controversy – the external design and the internal design
- External - the teams have done is that they have utilized a central section tunnel. This is one point of dispute. However, as per rules a 175mm central section is permissible. Another point of dispute is the extension of the central diffusion section to within 150 mm of extra body work.
(Williams have cleverly employed a secondary or ‘double decker’ diffuser by modifying the rear crash structure which exceeds the limits.) – for the pic – FIA reports
(Toyota have extended their bodywork to exploit the 150mm rule. This provides an extended diffuser section allowing it work more effectively. There is also a very low level splitter for more smoother air-flow) for the pic – FIA reports
- Internal – The diffuser in itself consists of many sections. What the above teams have done is that for the central section of the diffuser they have used a incoming hole. And interpreted the rule in such a way that only the diffuser volume is only the central section and not all three sections. This I believe has helped them to have a higher flow rate possible as well as lower pressure. Also the hole coming from the side will help prevent flow separation.
(The internal hole in the Williams diffuser design – FIA reports)
- All other teams have taken the spirit of the rule and interpreted it simply as all sections must have similar height and width with no entry tunnel. – FIA official report
- My verdict - If the judging is fair, and only technical stuff considered, this should be allowed. Other teams should play catch up and all the big guns should accept that they have been out-smarted.
- Another important point was made the other day on commentary – Imagine 10 teams with about 500-700 of the most elite designers and top class automotive engineers in each of the teams’ R&D. That makes about 5000-7000 geniuses pitted against how many FIA rule book officials – 15! Definitely people will find loopholes to exploit!
For more information, clarification, pics – check out my references
2009 regulation changes for diffuser: FIA
Excellent pic showing Williams’ Diffuser on car.
Good aerodynamics drawings and parts zoom in view
The actual diffuser on the race car with more clarification@f1fanatic.co.uk
Everything u need to know about F-1 cars ( a seven part awesome series, aerodynamics in part 7) – Click on “taking the lid off F-1 on the website
Simply brilliant!
So there is this very interesting widget on BBC called as the big picture. Every day a new and very interesting image is presented with only a small part shown which is in itself very beautiful and yet gives very little idea about the beauty of the entire pic. A joy to catch one everyday…
The COEP BAJA 2009 story
As I blogged earlier I was part of the COEP team for BAJA SAE INDIA 2009.
My story on it (Kinda meant for a press release, but too lazy to edit it! 
)
Topics for Paper Presentation – III
Looking at the heavy traffic on my blog , I decided to search some more:
- Exhaust Gas Recirculation
- Air Car
- Reaction Engineering
- Flexible Manufacturing systems
- Quality Function Deployment
- MRP I
- MRP II
- Enterprise Resource Planning
- Statistical Quality Control
- MEMS
- Rapid Prototyping
- Total Quality Management
- JIT
- Vertical Axis Wind Turbines
[post is being updated]
BAJA 2009
Well, here is the reason I was not blogging since a long time.
I was making this:
MINDSPARK ‘08
My college technical event: MINDSPARK 2008. Its going to be the BEST!!
website: www.mind-spark.org
Paper Presentation competition: http://www.mind-spark.org/EVENTPAGES/paper.html
Large Hadron Collider: Rumours and Fact
Its 9.30 am in the morning. I am forcing myself to read the last bit of material of energy conservation opportunities in boiler design when suddenly the phone rings. Maa picks it up. She talks for a while and then asks me “Did you know they are going to make a big bang today in a few hours?”
I am like “What?!”
“And that there is possibility that the world is going to end?”
I am still stuck on “What?!”
“Ya its on the TV and someone called and told me.”
I turn on the TV.
It turns out that the scientists at CERN are going to enter the first proton beam into the Large Hadron Collider. Wiki article here.
Fortunately, for once the ‘News Channels’ are quashing the rumours and not adding more fule to the fire.
Coz poeple believe rumours like – “There is going to be a tsunami”
I mean even if the 1:5 zillion (thats what I figured are the chances of going wrong are) probability came true, believe me, it would not lead to a tsunami.
Another rumour – “A big hole will be created (on earth) and the whole universe and the whole universe is going to collapse in it”. I was like “COME ON, not that bad!” Does the speaker have any idea about how blackholes are formed. And that millions may exist in the Known universe. And just how infintely large and mind-bogglingly expansive it is?
Then there are words screamed like “mahaprakop” (Great wrath of God) and “mahapralay” (Great Flood which will sink the entire earth) which are totally out of the reference.
From what I could gather with my limited knowledge of nuclear physics is that CERN had just introduced a proton beam into the collider, for testing. And it was successful. The high energy collisions are due to start after 21st October Thus, even if the fears are granted (very very hypothetically), still why today??!!?!
The LHC is the largest laboratory and the most expensive experiment till date. The accelerator has a course of about 27km containing 900o magnets! And protons are accelerated to 99.9999991% of speed of light.
Inside the LHC -(All you need to know awesome video!)
It is to search for a sub-proton particle - the Higgs boson which is considered to be the Holy Grail of the physicists. (sorry for the pick-up from Wiki, its so beautifully framed). It will help in proving the Grand Unified theory which brings three of the four fundamental forces – the EM force and the weak and strong Nu force, together at extremely high energies. To achieve this, the LHC will simulate conditions present in the early stages(~t<10^-60s) of the Big Bang when separation of the forces was yet to occur. It searches to explain why gravity is such a weak force and why is it so separate from the other forces. Also its the first step to the “Theory of Everything”! (A nice kaliedoscope anyway!)
Take a look
Fundamentals of Superstring Theory
I have totally lost faith in the fact that “science/education has liberated us from superstition”. People are so insecure that they easily fall prey to such rumors. I met atleast a dozen faces scoffing at the rumors with a bit of hesitance. And perhaps a sort of guilt conscious looms over such God fearing people, so that they are in the constant fear that a misfortune awaits them.
Just a fortnight back on the eve of the lunar eclipse, there was a huge commotion in the settlements near my house. All night there was shouting and commotion. The next day I read in the newspaper that someone had spread the rumor that if you sleep on the eve of the eclipse, you would die in your sleep. And innocent people believed that. The most saddening were that of the small children who were beaten and kept awake.
Again, I am completely appalled at such people. And if educated graduates and post graduates believe such things what about the illiterate ones?
If you want to know what is wrong or what can lead to a global catastrophe, you just have to look into a Mirror.
Neway, my morning was the most entertaining, laughing at one rumor after the next!
Another thing that added to my entertainment was a program called “Tin Deviyan” (Three Goddess’). But that is a post for tomo.
And a necessary disclaimer: “Nothing is wrong with the LHC or CERN or any eclipse. Its science”
The BMW Gina
This is called Innovation!
Gina stands for Geometry and Functions in N Adaptations.
in common language, it means the car can literally adapt and change its shape. This is achieved by pulling a polymer fibre over a metal and carbon linkage frame which are actuated by electro-hydraulic devices.
Well, it would be best if I let the pictures speak…
And a neatly done video as well
What I really like about the design is that the it questions the very fundamentals and the very orthodoxy of our car beliefs. What is exactly is the function of the body frame? Is protection is one of the necessary ones? Or can the purpose of protection be achieved solely to the chassis and the body cage?
The material use is revolutionary - light, flexible, cheap, easy to manufacture.
And the most important part is the human element… The car feels human..check the video out to get what I mean… the ‘Queen’ can ‘blink her eyes’! and when the head rests get up, its like someone is looking after the comfort to the driver…or she’s revealing secrets when she opens her bonnet…
One of the few concept cars that is really sensible, logical and not bizzare!
Formula One
Well, I never had access to much of an access to F-1 racing before so watching it was out of the question. And then there was the Schumacher Era. I dont know why, but a sport which is dominated by just a single champion has always been boring to me… Same can be said about the tennis era with Federer… Monopoly is one thing I really hate (not the board game of course!) However, getting into mechanical engineering and that too automoile engineering could not keep me away from F-1 for long time. Now I can appreciate both the race part as well the engineering.
Of course I am not an avid follower and definitely not a writer like Aditya here, but have taken a keen interest in it. And following my glorious tradition of not following the champions I will NOT be supporting Ferrari… Instead I would be backing McLaren and Force India, the former to give Ferrari a good fight and the latter for obvious patriotic reasons. And I would like the latter to do what the former as soon as possible! Of course it was achieved in the street circuit of Monaco and it was Raikonnen only who literally thrashed the competition. Of course, all say that it was not his fault but it was Sutil who lost the GLORY.
Anyways, yesterday’s race was clearly one of the best I had witnessed. Such high class drama! Its not that regular that you see such intensity and overtaking in the leader position with such few laps to go and here was a result that nobody could have even predicted even a few minutes ago. And Hamilton being penalised under laws which I believe are not that fair, but nevertheless it was much post race drama. The Raikonnen crash meant that he would be pushed further away from the Championship title which holds all signs of degenerating into a two horse race between Lewis (76) and Massa, the former leading by just 2 points with 5 races to go. The next couple of guys are Kubica and Kimi separated by just one point, Kubica(58) a considerable 16 points away from Massa(74). BMW is another inspired team this year alongwith Toyota.
So looking forward to many such races and race-blogs in the future…
