Ground-Effect Downforce Duct for Higher Ride Height
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicles used on public roads face a trade-off between downforce generation for optimal cornering and braking, which is compromised by increased ride height to clear obstacles, leading to reduced air pressure under the vehicle and subsequent handling issues.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle design featuring a duct configured to channel air from an outlet at the underside to a second outlet in the nose region, creating a lower pressure area in front of the duct and accelerating airflow to generate downforce, while allowing for increased ride height to clear obstacles without significantly reducing downforce.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the ride height is increased to clear obstacles, then the vehicle can drive over higher obstacles without grounding the nose, but the downforce generated by the vehicle is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts air from the region under the vehicle through a duct system with outlets positioned to remove air from specific locations. This creates a low pressure area under the vehicle that generates downforce, compensating for the reduced ground effect caused by increased ride height. The duct system actively removes air to maintain the pressure differential needed for downforce generation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a pneumatic system (duct with outlets) to control air flow and pressure under the vehicle. By strategically positioning outlets and using the vehicle's motion to drive air through the duct, the system creates controlled low pressure regions that generate downforce, allowing the vehicle to maintain handling characteristics despite increased ride height.
2Ease of operation
If the distance between the underside of the vehicle and the running surface is increased, then the vehicle can clear obstacles, but the effect of the ground on the air running under the car is reduced thus affecting the pressure of air under the vehicle
Solution Approach 1:
The duct system extracts air from under the vehicle at strategically positioned outlets, creating localized low pressure areas that maintain downforce generation even when the overall ride height is increased. This active air removal compensates for the reduced ground effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by positioning duct outlets at specific locations under the vehicle to create localized low pressure regions. Rather than relying on uniform ground effect across the entire underside, the system creates targeted pressure differentials at key locations to maintain downforce.
3Force
If a front splitter is used to create low pressure area under the splitter, then downforce is generated, but the height of obstacles that can be cleared is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the air flow management by using a front splitter combined with a separate duct system. The splitter creates initial air pressure differential, while the duct system with strategically positioned outlets independently manages air removal to maintain downforce. This segmentation allows the nose height to be increased for obstacle clearance while the duct system compensates for downforce loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically manages air flow through the duct outlets, using the vehicle's forward motion to drive air through the duct and create variable pressure differentials. This dynamic air management allows the vehicle to maintain downforce across varying ride heights and obstacle clearance requirements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances downforce generation and handling characteristics by maintaining air pressure differences essential for ground effect while accommodating higher ride heights for obstacle clearance.
Implementation Method 1
the underside of the vehicle in front of the first outlet is at a lower pressure than the underside of the vehicle behind the first outlet
Implementation Method 2
a flow of air entering the region between the underside of the vehicle and the running surface is accelerated in the region between the underside of the vehicle and the running surface to generate downforce on the vehicle
Implementation Method 3
a flow of air entering the region between the underside of the vehicle and the running surface is accelerated in the region between the underside of the vehicle and the running surface to generate downforce on the vehicle
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A vehicle being a ground effect road vehicle having an underside and being supported on a running surface, the ground effect road vehicle comprising a first duct configured to channel air from a first outlet at the underside of the vehicle to a second outlet away from the underside of the vehicle so that when the vehicle is in forward motion the underside of the vehicle in front of the first outlet is at a lower pressure than the underside of the vehicle behind the first outlet, the vehicle being configured so that the underside of the vehicle is in sufficient proximity to the running surface so that a flow of air entering the region between the underside of the vehicle and the running surface is accelerated in the region between the underside of the vehicle and the running surface to generate downforce on the vehicle.