The Effect of Vortex Generators on Aerodynamics for Sedan Cars

Abstract

Energy saving and protecting the global environment are the main issues of this time, with fuel consumption crises becoming the most concerned topic in automotive development. The aerodynamic (Aero) drag for sedan vehicles is a result of the separation of flow near the vehicle’s rear end. To minimise the separation, a bump-shaped vortex generator (VG) is used at the back end of a sedan. The main aim of this work is to study the effect of VGs on the drag coefficient (DC) for modern sedan cars at different velocities. CFD code FLUENT was used to evaluate the flow distribution around the Fabia Sedan. The results were used to evaluate the DC by calculating the drag force acting on the body. In addition, the results indicate that CFD flow simulation is a useful tool for providing predictions of pressure distribution and forces exerted on the vehicle components.