About This Project

At the Cyclone Racing shop on Iowa State University campus, our student led Formula SAE team is evaluating the benefits of a rear air diffuser on our race car. We will examine whether the improved aerodynamics allow the car to travel faster and increase stability at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour, even with the added weight.

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What is the context of this research?

We are Iowa State University’s Formula SAE team and at the moment we are researching vehicle dynamics related to a rear air diffuser mounted underneath the car. We want to know whether a rear air diffuser is beneficial to our race car, or whether the air diffuser is ineffective at the speeds we are traveling. We hope, with the knowledge gained, to make a faster, more efficient, and more stable car.

What is the significance of this project?

Knowing the effectiveness of a rear air diffuser will help engineers design future cars. We are designing our air diffuser to give us a lower drag coefficient, improving the performance and efficiency of the car. If the aerodynamics prove to be more effective, we will pursue even more aerodynamic packages for future iterations of the race car.

What are the goals of the project?

We are measuring three important data points for the rear diffuser. The first data point that we will be collecting is the drag coefficient of the car. The second data point we will be collecting is pressure around the back of the car. The final point we will be collecting is air flow.