<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by nova:
Isn't fluid mechanics fun? :D :D :D :D <hr></blockquote>
NO!!, that is why I only took the necessary intro courses when I was in school [img]tongue.gif[/img]
<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by nova:
For complex shapes you have to determine the function that describes the average cross sectional area of the object and then work some Calculus voodoo on it to work that into your aerodynamic drag equations.<hr></blockquote>
Here is what we should do. Someone needs to find a warehouse to use. Hang their car with chains. Attach scales to the chains. Measure the tension in the chains while the car is at rest. Then hook up a bunch of fans to get the air moving at decent speeds. Measure the air speed and the new tension in the chains. From air speed and the tension results, then we could calculate the combined FrontalArea*Coefficient of Drag. Then we could calculate the drag at any speed. THEN, rerun the test with blackouts. Recalculate the drag factor. Then make some really poor idealizations and figure out how the reduction in drag will result in a .176mpg improvement when traveling at 107mph. Or we could just rent GM's wind tunnel. But considering they have nearly round the clock usage of that thing it may be difficult to find a slot. If we do all that and publish it in a really poorly written techical paper, maybe we can fool thebigwaldo into thinking we gave him a decent solution to his original question, instead of him finding out the real answer.....I have no ideas about an effective way to improve your mileage. [img]tongue.gif[/img]
[ August 23, 2002: Message edited by: Backfire ]</p>
Isn't fluid mechanics fun? :D :D :D :D <hr></blockquote>
NO!!, that is why I only took the necessary intro courses when I was in school [img]tongue.gif[/img]
<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by nova:
For complex shapes you have to determine the function that describes the average cross sectional area of the object and then work some Calculus voodoo on it to work that into your aerodynamic drag equations.<hr></blockquote>
Here is what we should do. Someone needs to find a warehouse to use. Hang their car with chains. Attach scales to the chains. Measure the tension in the chains while the car is at rest. Then hook up a bunch of fans to get the air moving at decent speeds. Measure the air speed and the new tension in the chains. From air speed and the tension results, then we could calculate the combined FrontalArea*Coefficient of Drag. Then we could calculate the drag at any speed. THEN, rerun the test with blackouts. Recalculate the drag factor. Then make some really poor idealizations and figure out how the reduction in drag will result in a .176mpg improvement when traveling at 107mph. Or we could just rent GM's wind tunnel. But considering they have nearly round the clock usage of that thing it may be difficult to find a slot. If we do all that and publish it in a really poorly written techical paper, maybe we can fool thebigwaldo into thinking we gave him a decent solution to his original question, instead of him finding out the real answer.....I have no ideas about an effective way to improve your mileage. [img]tongue.gif[/img]
[ August 23, 2002: Message edited by: Backfire ]</p>
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