Wheel House Plasma Airflow Control for Drag and Noise Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traveling wind generates air resistance, turbulent flow, and aerodynamic noise around vehicle wheels, which deteriorates aerodynamic performance and increases drag.
Innovation Solution
An airflow adjusting apparatus with plasma actuators installed on the wheel house and wheels, controlled by a plasma actuator control unit, generates airflow to reduce drag, cool brakes, and improve driving stability by managing airflow direction and velocity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the vehicle travels at normal speed, then the vehicle maintains stable aerodynamic flow, but turbulent flow and vortex flow occur around the wheel house, increasing air resistance and aerodynamic noise
Solution Approach 1:
The airflow generator activates before turbulent flow fully develops around the wheel house, generating a controlled airflow that prevents vortex formation. By acting in advance during normal vehicle travel, the system maintains stable aerodynamic flow and reduces both air resistance and aerodynamic noise before they can deteriorate performance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical airflow control devices (such as movable aerodynamic stabilizers or physical fins) with an airflow generator that uses electrical or electromagnetic mechanisms to generate controlled airflow. This substitution eliminates complex mechanical structures while effectively managing turbulent flow around the wheel house
2Object-affected harmful factors
If an aerodynamic stabilizer protrudes toward the inside of the wheel house, then airflow is adjusted to reduce turbulence, but the stabilizer interferes with the wheel
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the airflow generation function from the wheel house interior space and relocates it to a positioning device that can be mounted on the wheel house outer surface or nearby structure. This extraction eliminates the need for protruding stabilizers that would interfere with wheel rotation, while still achieving turbulent flow reduction through the generated airflow
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an airflow generator as an intermediary device that creates controlled airflow to reduce turbulence around the wheel house. This intermediary approach allows airflow adjustment without requiring physical structures that protrude into the wheel house and interfere with wheel movement, thus resolving the conflict between turbulence reduction and wheel clearance
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
The apparatus effectively reduces air resistance, minimizes turbulent flow, and enhances aerodynamic performance by guiding airflow outwards and managing pressure differences to suppress rolling and yawing, thereby improving vehicle stability and noise reduction.
Implementation Method 1
plasma actuators installed on the wheel house and wheels
Implementation Method 2
The airflow generator is configured to generate an airflow that flows from the wheel containing section toward outer side
Data Source
AI summary
An airflow adjusting apparatus to be installed in a vehicle includes an airflow generator and a controller. The airflow generator is provided on an inner surface of a wheel house or on a wheel. The wheel house provides a wheel containing section of a vehicle body. The wheel is contained in the wheel containing section. The airflow generator is configured to generate an airflow that flows from the wheel containing section toward outer side in a vehicle widthwise direction. The controller is configured to control the airflow generator.