Experimental investigations of the aerodynamics of high performance bicycle downtubes and wheels

高性能自行车下管和车轮的空气动力学实验研究

• 批准号: 478151-2014
• 负责人: Lavoie, Philippe
• 金额: $ 1.87万
• 依托单位: University of Toronto
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Collaborative Research and Development Grants
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2015-01-01 至 2016-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=579325
• 关键词: Experimental; investigations; aerodynamics; performance; bicycle

The design of racing bicycles is a very competitive market that has relied previously on an ad hoc design approach primarily based on the designer's experience and intuition. Similar to other competitive sports, such as swimming and golf, the application of rigorous analytical and experimental science towards new bicycle concepts is becoming an increasingly important part of the design methodology as designers, coaches and athletes attempt to gain competitive advantages. The appetite for high performance racing bicycles is not restricted to professional and Olympic athletes. The average cyclist consumer is becoming more and more demanding, which has resulted in a large increase in the value of the market for racing bicycles and the emergence of a number of new manufacturers, such as the well-known Canadian company Cervélo. The aim of the proposed research is to investigate the unique and complex flow physics associated with bicycle components. Two of the key factors contributing to the uniqueness of these flows are the low Reynolds number, and characteristically short and stubby geometries used in bicycle design due to constraints imposed by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). The goal is thus to develop fundamental knowledge needed to enable new innovations in the design of aerodynamic bicycles. Therefore, bicycle components will be tested in the wind tunnels at the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies (UTIAS), and their performance will be assessed based on global force measurement via a load cell and detailed flow field measurements using particle image velocimetry (PIV). The experiments will be supported by CFD computation by the industrial partner, Kevin Quan Studios (KQS). The outcomes of this research are expected to provide unique physical insights to improve bicycle designs.

赛车的设计是一个竞争非常激烈的市场，以前主要依赖于设计师的经验和直觉。与游泳和高尔夫等其他竞技体育项目类似，随着设计师、教练和运动员试图获得竞争优势，将严格的分析和实验科学应用于新的自行车概念正成为设计方法中越来越重要的一部分。对高性能赛车的需求不仅限于专业运动员和奥运会运动员。普通自行车消费者的要求越来越高，这导致了赛车市场价值的大幅增长，并出现了一些新的制造商，如著名的加拿大公司Cervélo。 拟议的研究的目的是调查与自行车部件相关的独特而复杂的流动物理。造成这些流动独特性的两个关键因素是低雷诺数，以及由于国际自行车联合会（UCI）的限制，自行车设计中使用的特征性短而窄的几何形状。因此，我们的目标是开发实现空气动力自行车设计新创新所需的基础知识。因此，自行车部件将在多伦多大学航空航天研究所（UTIAS）的风洞中进行测试，其性能将根据通过称重传感器进行的整体力测量和使用粒子图像测速仪（PIV）进行的详细流场测量进行评估。实验将由工业合作伙伴Kevin Quan Studios（KQS）的CFD计算提供支持。这项研究的结果预计将提供独特的物理见解，以改善自行车设计。