Análise numérica e experimental do comportamento aerodinâmico da carroceria de um ônibus rodoviário

Abstract

The present study was to evaluate the aerodynamic parameters of a road bus model by comparing the results of computer simulation via CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) with those obtained in experiments in a wind tunnel. The bus studied was a road type from a local manufacturer, Paradiso 1200 model. The vehicle was modeled on a CAD software (SolidWorks®) on two scales: 1/42 and 1/24. Furthermore, for comparison with the literature, we analyzed two different sizes of Ahmed body model. Thereafter, the meshes were created from 3D geometry and the computational tests performed with FLUENT® ANSYS software for the four models in order to identify some aerodynamic parameters such as the drag coefficient, pressure coefficient, among others. For analysis of Ahmed bodies, the turbulence models Spalart - Allmaras, κ - ε Standard, κ - ε RNG, κ - ω Standard, κ - ω SST and SST were used. For bus models, the turbulence model κ - ε Standard was only used. For the experiments we used an open circuit wind tunnel, where tests of pressure distribution and aerodynamic drag were performed, varying the height of the clearance between the automotive table and the bottom surface of the models. In the model tests, in which there were the height variation relative to the automotive table, an increase of 4.5% in the value of the drag coefficient (Cd) for the lower Ahmed body, and 6.1% for the bus 1/42 scale were identified. In pressure tests, the pressure coefficients (Cp) were almost the same between the values obtained from the CFD analysis and experimental values for both models. Visualization tests using wool tufts distributed on the outer surface of the smaller Ahmed model and the higher bus model were also performed. These tests clearly indicated the air recirculation regions in models, which in part was not observed in the computational analysis. Thus, it appears that the experimental results are in wind tunnel still the most reliable and used despite the high costs involved in the building models, in the high-tech instrumentation available today, in the visualization methods and in the energy consumed in the tests.