Aerodynamic Analysis Of Bishoftu Plutus Double Cabin Pick-Up Vehicle With Vortex Generators

Abstract

The science of aerodynamics determines how gaseous fluids such as air, flow as well as the forces, exerted on moving objects such as automobiles. Due to the significant increase in fuel prices and vehicle speeds since the beginning of the 20th century, it has become crucial to minimize aerodynamic drag. This thesis work explains the aerodynamic study of a Bishoftu double cabin pickup truck equipped with delta and triangular-shaped vortex generators at the roof end of the truck to reduce the vehicle's aerodynamic drag coefficient. Pickup vehicles have a higher aerodynamic drag coefficient than the other types of road vehicles compared with Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs). The shape of the Bishoftu Plutus double cabin pickup vehicle is a direct effect and it can be influenced by the drag coefficient result. The main objective of this thesis work is to examine the aerodynamic performance of the Bishoftu Plutus double cabin pickup vehicle with different configurations of vortex generators. To validate the numerical simulation results with experimental tests. It was also conducted under various parameter settings. This thesis work examined the flow field structures of adding vortex generators to the model's roof end to demonstrate the reduction mechanism numerical simulation results of pressure, velocity, and vortex structure provided by contrasting the baseline model with experimental data. Using ANSYS fluent software for computational analysis and conducted experimental tests on wind tunnels. Two different types of passive flow drag reduction devices were investigated in this work, and each had a significant impact on the development of the separation flow. Using vortex generators on the roof end of the model has a maximum drag reduction of 6.50% Lift coefficient reduction of 8.69%, and 14% average fuel save achieved.