The Drag Reduction System

The Drag Reduction System 1

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The Drag Reduction System 2

The Drag Reduction System

Background Information

Aerodynamic innovations have played a unique role in the designation of race cars to achieve the

maximum speed independent of the horsepower of the car(Guiggiani, 2014). In producing a

racing car, an engineer focuses on many factors among them minimizing the aerodynamic drag

of the car, provide adequate down force to make the car more stable, and reducing the power loss

in race cars. Based on those objectives, there are many technologies that have developed and that

have generally improved the racing experience. Such technologies include the Kinetic Energy

Retaining System, the Drag reduction system, turbochargers and superchargers(Guiggiani,

2014). The main objective of the development of racing cars is to achieve maximum possible

speed and stability. Other concerns include the weight of the car, the driver, and tires(Guiggiani,

2014). Whereas some features such as turbochargers optimize the power production of the

engine in such cars, there are many features that ensure that the power produced by the engine is

used efficiently. Racing cars move at high speeds are prone to air resistance. As they increase

their speed, their road grip and traction reduces thermodynamically because they tend to exert

less force on the road surface(Toet, 2013). As a result, they lose important parts of acceleration

and a significant fraction of power is lost as racing cars struggle against air resistance with

minimal traction on the ground(Guiggiani, 2014). Therefore, the development of the drag

reduction system has improved the motor sporting experience by increasing the efficiency of the

sport cars.

Development of Drag Reduction System

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At the beginning of motor sports, racing cars were designed to maximize drag but achieve

maximum speeds(Hyltonet al., 2011). However, it was discovered that the shape of the body of

the car had a direct impact on its handling and stability. The discovery led to the development of

inverted wings that were fitted on cars to provide an opposing force to the lifting tendency of

sport cars when they are on high speed.in the current times, more concerns such as the safety of

drivers have been added to motor sports necessitating the development of aerodynamic features

of sport cars(Hyltonet al., 2011). In the eighteenth century the main focus of downforce and

stability was the underbody properties of the car in which Lotus discovered that reducing the

proximity of the car to the ground and fitting of the cars with side skirts reduced the flow of air

under the car, generating a significant amount of down force(Hyltonet al., 2011). The discovery

led to the development of front wings.

The lift and drag forces on a racing car have an adverse effect on the overall competitive

performance of the car. As a car moves, it pushes the air around it and therefore becomes subject

to drag as a result of air resistance. Drag therefore limits the top speed of the car and increases

the fuel consumption of the car as it needs more force to counter air

resistance(Littlewood&Passmore, 2012).As a racing car negotiates a corner, it is subject to

centripetal force alongside the normal lifting and air dragging forces. Therefore, it is put at a risk

of flying off the track because of inadequate grip caused by the lifting force and the sideways

force caused by the centripetal force(Littlewood&Passmore, 2012). Therefore, there is dire need

to increase the down force on racing cars to enable them exert sufficient vertical force on the

tires and increase the grip on the road. To achieve that, designers modify the shape of the racing

cars to offer cut through the air easily. They also install aero foils on racing cars to control the

flow of air around the car at racing speeds(Littlewood&Passmore, 2012).

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Science behind DRS operation

Wings were first used in airplanes before they gained popularity and application in cars. The

wings are made in a way that one surface is more curved than the other and operate under the

Bernoulli’s principle(Abdulwahab& Chen, 2015). In airplanes, the upper surface of the wings is

move curved than the lower surface. Under normal circumstances, air particles exhibit a constant

and uniform flow rate characterized by straight streamlines. However, as the air approaches the

wing, the wing cuts through the air and air streamlines pass above and below the wing surfaces.

Those that pass above the wing are pushed up by the wing as a result of the more curved surface

of the wing. The streamlines are compressed against those above them, making them to flow at a

faster speed than those below the wing(Hyltonet al., 2011). Consequently, the air pressure on the

wing reduces due to the increased velocity. Under the wing, the air is voided and forces to

expand resulting to the decrease in velocity. As a result, the pressure of air below the wing

increases. The difference of the two pressures results an upward lifting force that is behind the

flying of airplanes(Abdulwahab& Chen, 2015).

However, racing cars experience a lifting force when at racing speed that arises from the

difference of pressure under and above the cars. Therefore, racing cars require a downward force

to produce a negative lift and produce a force that would push the cars against the ground and

exert a vertical force on the tires(Abdulwahab& Chen, 2015). To achieve that, the wings are

normally inverted to reverse the pressure difference and create a downward force. Car wings are

also subject to drag as they face an opposing force horizontally. The force results in tangential

stress that increases the frictional drag on the car. The magnitude of frictional drag depends on

the geometry and orientation of the wing(Abdulwahab& Chen, 2015). Therefore, the alteration

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of the wing orientation changes the angle of attack of air on the wing, increasing or reducing the

friction drag. The change of the angle at which the air attacks the wing has a profound effect on

the amount of down force. This formed the basis for the installment of adjustable wings on

racing cars.

Wings fixed on cars in the early days were only designed to minimize drag and increase the top

speed.as the power and speed of racecars increased over the years, there was an increasing need

of adhesive friction between the tires and the road especially when negotiating corners. Wings

were found to be the most efficient and easy solution to the problem since installing of airplane-

like wings in the inverted manner would generate a down force corresponding to the lifting force

that they provide in airplanes(Abdulwahab& Chen, 2015). The wings are attached to the car

chassis to transfer the downward force exerted to the car.

Also, recent developments have led to the emergence of multi-element wings that are designed to

provide more down force that the conventional single element wings. The multi-element wing is

designed in that it has three to four layers which provide different angles of attack increasing the

maximum down force(Abdulwahab& Chen, 2015). However, the multi-element wings have been

found to have higher drag that the conventional single element wings. However, engineers and

designers have alternative ways of dealing with drag such as increasing the power output of the

engine by increasing its size, or installing turbochargers or superchargers to increase the power

production of the engine. Having taken care of the drag, multiple element wings have grown

more populous in the design and production of racing cars because of the enormous down force

they produce as opposed to single element wings(Abdulwahab& Chen, 2015).

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The use of thermodynamics betters both the speed and the efficiency of the car. It governs the

shaping of the cars in a way that is less costly and more fuel efficient waking them to easily run

at high speeds. Automotive aerodynamics reduces the noise of wind, promotes efficient cooling

of the car that is on speed, promotes stability and higher traction forces on the wheels at high

speeds. Because of the advantages listed above, wings are used in Formula one cars.

How the Drag Reduction System Works

The drag reduction systems represents an adjustable bodywork on racing cars which controls

aerodynamic drag and increases the top speed for overtaking purposes(Flynn, Locking &

Johnson, 2014). When two cars are close to each other or running side to side with each other,

the activation of the drag reduction system, which is normally done by opening and adjusting a

flap on the rear end of the car, gives the pursuing car an increase in speed and increases its

chances of overtaking the other car(Flynn, Locking & Johnson, 2014).The drag reduction system

was introduced in sporting to make the cars more efficient in overtaking. Many drivers and

engineers love the effect of the wings on the corners but feel their draw back in a straight track,

thus necessitation the wings to be adjustable to improve the driving experience. At a corner, the

steep the wing’s angle, the faster the cornering speed and on a straight track, a steep-angle wing

brakes the car down(Flynn, Locking & Johnson, 2014). The rear wings are fitted to increase the

air drag and provide the maximum possible down force before they are flapped down to reduce

drag and increase the top speed of the car. Therefore, the drag reduction system serves to enable

the drive balance between the top speed and the stability of the car they are driving during

races(Flynn, Locking & Johnson, 2014).

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The use of aerodynamics in racing cars has increases in the current world and revolves around

the creation of the highest possible speed to ease overtaking. Realistically, a racing DTM grid

has twenty-four cars that are driven by best drivers and have the ability to virtually move at the

same pace(Rettig, 2016). Furthermore, many racetracks in the world today are more difficult to

overtake on. There exists a battle of overtaking o the slipstream as the cars stand a chance of

surging into each other at high speed. For instance, the racing cars are supposed to achieve more

than 200kph on a straight track and the impact of the slipstream starts to be felt when the cars

exceed 120kph(Rettig, 2016). Therefore, following a car at high speed without adequate drag is

dangerous as it can lead to an accident since the following car can be surged into the front car.

So to mention, all the drivers have an equal ability and opportunity to use the slipstream of the

racing track to their advantage. The use of the drag reduction system won’t be beneficial to

anybody if they use the system simultaneously. However, the advantage of the system goes to

the driver with the best balancing and timing skills as it gives the car more speed required when

it is overtaking(Rettig, 2016). In many racing cars, the wing is composed of a fixed main plane

and a variable flap. When a driver raises the flap a maximum of five centimeters from the main

plane, it creates a free way for the flow of air above, between and below the wing components

reducing the blocking of wind(Pfiffer, Caubet&Larrieu, 2016). The reduction of drag results in

the maximum possible speed and little down force. If the car is not subject to lateral forces, it can

move with the highest possible speed that that is limited to the top gear ration and engine. This is

expected when a racing car is passing through a straight part of the track.

On the other hand, the flap can be adjusted at an angle to the main fixed plane to offer resistance

to the flow of air. This increases the down force and the vertical force on the tires increasing

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their grip and traction on the road(Pfiffer, Caubet&Larrieu, 2016). This helps the car to keep on

track when it is negotiating a corner and prevents it from skidding off the track due to the lateral

force as a result of the centripetal force. The increase of down force on a car when negotiating a

corner increases its stability and ability to go around the corner at full speed(Pfiffer,

Caubet&Larrieu, 2016).

Regulating and Sanctioning Bodies

Formula 1 regulates the use of drag reduction system in races. According to Formula 1 rules, the

use of the drag reduction system is allowed only when the overtaking car is less than a second

behind the one to be overtaken(Toet, 2013). The use of the drag reduction system is only allowed

when the car is within the overtaking zone which is also called the DRS zone. The system can

only be used by a defending driver who is behind another car by a small margin and wishes to

overtake. Formula 1 race directors can also bar a driver from using the drag reduction system if it

is deemed dangerous at the time(Toet, 2013).

Conclusion

The drag reduction system has made a great contribution to the car racing experience in the

world today. It has improved both the safety and the racing speed in motor sports. Also, the DRS

system has been incorporated in the design of cars outside the motor sports. Such cars include

supercars branded Ferrari and Lamborghini. However, the introduction of the DRS system into

the motor sports has attracted mixed reactions from both drivers and fans. Some claim that it has

reduced the challenge in overtaking during the races while others argue that the system has

solved the problem of overtaking that was a problem in the recent years in F1. People also argue

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that when the drag reduction system is used to overtake in F1, the front driver is denied the equal

chance to use the system to maintain his position as the rules do not allow him/her to deploy her

DRS to defend her position. However, the invention of the DRS remains one of the man

technologies that have influenced motor sports in the world today.

References

Abdulwahab, S. F., & Chen, Y. (2015).AERODYNAMIC EVALUATION OF RACING

WINGS OF A FORMULA CAR.

Flynn, D. J., Locking, P. M., & Johnson, M. (2014). The Drag Reduction SystemU.S. Patent

Application No. 14/895,829.

Guiggiani, M. (2014). The science of vehicle dynamics: handling, braking, and ride of road and

race cars. Springer Science & Business Media.

Hylton, P., Borme, A., Barber, K., Lucas, P., & Beard, L. (2011).Impact of motorsports

engineering on automotive performance. International Journal of Modern

Engineering, 11(2), 32-36.

Littlewood, R. P., &Passmore, M. A. (2012).Aerodynamic drag reduction of a simplified

squareback vehicle using steady blowing. Experiments in fluids, 1-11.

Pfiffer, A., Caubet, P., &Larrieu, J. M. (2016). U.S. Patent No. 9,500,456. Washington, DC: U.S.

Patent and Trademark Office.

Rettig, A. (2016).The Drag Reduction System U.S. Patent No. 9,481,407. Washington, DC: U.S.

Patent and Trademark Office.

Toet, W. (2013).Aerodynamics and aerodynamic research in Formula 1. The Aeronautical

Journal, 117(1187), 1-26.

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