- #1
tt101
- 6
- 0
What helps reduce aerodynamic drag better wheels inside or outside in reference to the above designs? please help.
Tire Placement for Aerodynamic Drag Reduction: Inside vs. Outside Designs
Click For Summary
Discussion Overview
The discussion focuses on the impact of tire placement on aerodynamic drag, specifically comparing inside versus outside designs. Participants explore theoretical implications and practical applications related to vehicle design and aerodynamics.
Discussion Character
- Exploratory, Technical explanation, Debate/contested, Experimental/applied
Main Points Raised
- One participant suggests that placing tires outside may reduce frontal area, potentially decreasing aerodynamic drag.
- Another participant notes that covering the tires could also reduce drag, introducing complexity to the discussion.
- A participant provides a reference to a calculator for estimating aerodynamic drag, indicating that it may not be as accurate as computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis but is useful for initial approximations.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants express differing views on the effectiveness of tire placement in reducing aerodynamic drag, indicating that the discussion remains unresolved with multiple competing perspectives.
Contextual Notes
Participants have not fully explored the assumptions behind their claims, and the discussion lacks detailed mathematical analysis or empirical data to support the proposed ideas.
What helps reduce aerodynamic drag better wheels inside or outside in reference to the above designs? please help.
- #2
berkeman
Admin
- 69,524
- 25,101
tt101 said:
What helps reduce aerodynamic drag better wheels inside or outside in reference to the above designs? please help.
What do you think? What research & reading have you done so far? Is this question for schoolwork, or are you designing such a car for yourself?
- #3
tt101
- 6
- 0
yes this is for a project I am working on. According to my knowledge tires outside should be better since the frontal area reduces as compared to when the tires are placed inside. As the area increases the opposition also increases. But also the tires being covered reduces drag over the tires. thus the confusion.
- #4
jack action
Science Advisor
- 3,573
- 9,989
Look at this calculator (and the theory at the bottom of the page). It's not as precise as a CFD analysis, but it is a lot faster for first approximations.