Abstract
Abstract
In order to check the visibility of door mirror by the driver, water flows on vehicles panels are simulated by a three-step methodology using 3D computational fluid dynamics. In the first step, the aerodynamic field around the vehicle is calculated with Powerflow software in a large domain. Then, the field of air velocity vectors calculated with Powerflow is mapped towards a small domain where the water flow will be solved. Finally, the calculation carried out by N3S CFD code with a fluid film model gives the water distribution on different parts of the vehicle e in the aerodynamic field.
Results are compared with the tests carried out on the Modus car in a wind tunnel reproducing the main characteristics of moving traffic under the rain. Shape and thickness of the water flow on the panel are well reproduced by the computations for two opposed geometries of the A-pillar (seal filled and gutter) and two velocities of the wind (70 and 90 km/h).
This methodology is now applied by Renault to optimize shapes of the new vehicle project before the first physical prototype.