Numerical modelling of a dynamic spring mounted wing system to reduce the drag of vehicles at higher speeds

The dynamic behaviour of a spring-mounted symmetrical NACA 0012 wing in freestream flow of air is studied in the pre-stall region, over 0° to 12° angles of incidence. The primary aim of the work is for use within the automotive sector to reduce drag and fuel emissions. However, the work will also be of interest in the motorsport sector to improve performance and also some applications within the aerospace and renewable energy sectors. General operation of the concept has previously been verified at these low angles in the pre-stall region with that of a theoretical estimation using finite and infinite wings. This paper provides a numerical solution of the same problem and is compared with previous experimentation. At these low angles, the computations yield a dynamic response settling into a static equilibrium. The stable solutions match the start of steady regime well when compared with experiment. The trends are also comparable with the experiment, but the velocities at which they occur are underestimated in the computation. The computations demonstrate a drag reduction of 59% when compared to a fixed wing whereas the lift has remained stable at a near constant value with increasing wind speed. Thence, downforce is maintained whilst drag is reduced which will facilitate higher speeds on the straight whilst maintaining vehicle direction stability. Limitations to this proof of concept work are highlighted and future development work is suggested to achieve even further increases in performance.