Abstract
The Hornet Racing Formula SAE team, a group of students that designs and builds open wheel style formula cars for international collegiate competition, has been utilizing a static or fixed aerodynamics package on their vehicles since 2018. The aerodynamics package on the vehicle provides added downforce and tire grip at speeds between 25-40 miles per hour to increase cornering speed and is composed of front and rear wings, each with a large main airfoil and several smaller airfoil elements that utilize airflow downstream of the main airfoil. The incorporation of the smaller elements is done in such a way that they increase the effectiveness of the main airfoils but also reduce drag compared to a larger single wing’s cross section in the direction of flowing fluid. The incorporation of these smaller elements increases efficiency of the package at low speed but causes high amounts of drag at higher speeds. This project will explore the effects and the feasibility of increased aerodynamic efficiency, defined by Lift / Drag, of these wings via the use of a moving, automated system controlling the smaller elements of the front and rear wings. The 4-zone active system will be using the left and right halves of the front and rear wing smaller elements and will be designed to manipulate these elements to automatically adapt to the vehicle’s changing operational demands during acceleration, braking and cornering while on a test track in various driving conditions, events and driver inputs to the vehicle and will act as a bolt-on, standalone system to increase the aerodynamic efficiency of the vehicle and reduce lap times to gain more points at FSAE international competitions.