Abstract
Being a continuous subject of research, the authors present in this paper new aspects and results concerning the relevance of the wheels in vehicle aerodynamics. Thus, having as reference the Ahmed body, a generic body with wheels in wheelhouses is defined in the first stage. Later on, the influence of the wheels on the aerodynamic performances of the bluff body is studied in a geometrically configuration, which is relevant for hatchback passenger cars. The results show that both drag and lift coefficients are increasing as consequence of the flow alteration on the underbody and lateral sides, highlighted by the vortex structures which originate on wheels.
Keywords: Aerodynamics, Ahmed Body, Wheels, Wheelhouses, CFD