DESIGN HINTS

(singke) #1

If you cannot perform wind tunnel testing you can make an estimation of drag coefficient
by taking the 0.03 drag coefficient for a flat plate of 200 cm square and calculate the drag
coefficient for your car with a simple ratio calculation based on your cars frontal area
compared to the 200 cm square.
This will give a worst case drag figure as it is based on a flat plate.
As a help to determining your drag ratios some drag ratios of actual cars that have been
tested in a wind tunnel are given below.


CAUTION: The air drag coefficients listed here are not cd values or Drag Coefficient
values as normally seen. They are derived from testing of a particular car and the
coefficient includes cd values as well as frontal area and air density all rolled into the one
coefficient. Consequently we cannot compare the aerodynamic performance of different
cars without considering their frontal area.
(See section on air drag in Mathematical Simulator earlier in this document for more
details)


PHOTON CRUNCHER MK IV : SIMULATOR AIR DRAG COEFFICIENT

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