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ACADEMICUMR Racecar WinsFormula SAE EventBy Prem A. Midha and Henry J. Pernicka, University of Missouri, RollaTHE ANNUAL FORMULA SAE ® (Society of Automotive Engineers) competitionin Pontiac, Michigan is designed to offer students a chance to design, build, andrace a formula-style race car. The University of Missouri, Rolla is one of only ahandful of teams that use aerodynamic devices on their car to improve its performance,and last year, the team used FLUENT to optimize these devices.Pathlines and contours of static pressure for the UMR 2004 Formula SAE race carVisualization courtesy of Ensight by CEIThe team first designs and performs solid modeling on their aerodynamics packagewith downforce as their primary consideration. “We use FLUENT for modelingthe external flows around the car and aerodynamic devices and the internalflows in the inlet track of the engine,” says 2005 Chief Engineer Kyle Sampson.In the past, the team used FLUENT to evaluate profile changes to the restrictor,but most recently, they used it to work with their suspension-mounted undertraymulti-element airfoils. “In the future we would like to be able to model the fluidfriction and periodic flows in the engine intake manifold,” says Sampson.Last year, the team placed first in the autocross event and fourth overall, proving thevalue of having well-designed aerodynamic devices on a Formula SAE race car. The 2004 UMR Formula SAE teamCFD Innovator Wins PrizeProfessor Vivek RanadeVIVEK RANADE, HEAD OF THE INDUSTRIAL FLOW MODELLING GROUPat the Indian National Chemical Laboratory, was selected for a 2004 ShantiSwaroop Bhatnagar Prize. India’s highest award in science, the prize is grantedin recognition of the latest five year’s research. Dr. Ranade was recognizedfor his important contributions in advancing the understanding of bubblecolumn,stirred, and trickle-bed reactors. He is experienced in writing inhouseCFD codes and has developed novel models for predicting theunsteady and time-averaged flow characteristics of chemical reactors. Themodels provide new insights about multiphase systems and have helped toachieve significant performance enhancements in industrial practice. Dr.Ranade has used FLUENT since 2001. 32 Fluent News · Spring 2005