Design and numerical analysis of bicycle driver compartment area through CFD simulation

Upright-seat bicycles exhibit poor aerodynamics, with both rider and bicycle generating significant drag intensified by wind resistance, cold air, and rainfall. This research's aim involves designing and evaluating a bicycle compartment through CFD simulation. Beginning with a standard upright...

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Main Authors: Boru Godana Golo, Degefa Legesse Bekele, Garbe Chukulu Jarso, Dr. Ing. Getachew Shunki Tibba
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:Results in Engineering
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123024016049
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author Boru Godana Golo
Degefa Legesse Bekele
Garbe Chukulu Jarso
Dr. Ing. Getachew Shunki Tibba
author_facet Boru Godana Golo
Degefa Legesse Bekele
Garbe Chukulu Jarso
Dr. Ing. Getachew Shunki Tibba
author_sort Boru Godana Golo
collection DOAJ
description Upright-seat bicycles exhibit poor aerodynamics, with both rider and bicycle generating significant drag intensified by wind resistance, cold air, and rainfall. This research's aim involves designing and evaluating a bicycle compartment through CFD simulation. Beginning with a standard upright mountain bike model, six conceptual models serve to assess drag, lift, and streamline efficiency. Model 0 (original) provides baseline aerodynamics, indicating a drag coefficient of 0.52, closely aligning with the experimentally measured 0.5. Modifications initiate with Model 1, where rounded frontal corners decrease lift and drag. Model 3 achieves further drag reduction to 0.437 by increasing the rounding radius. Model 4 includes a 350 mm vertical vortex splitter, resulting in a drag coefficient of 0.425. Model 5 integrates horizontal and vertical splitters with chamfering and slanting, while Model 6 adds a rear teardrop angle, enhancing streamlining and reducing recirculation, yielding a drag coefficient of 0.295. Experimental validation in a wind tunnel records a drag coefficient of 0.311, reflecting a 5.42% error due to wind tunnel limitations. Model 6 emerges as the most aerodynamically efficient design.
format Article
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issn 2590-1230
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher Elsevier
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series Results in Engineering
spelling doaj-art-5cb579a2dc8d41d388372cb643a81eab2025-08-20T02:34:43ZengElsevierResults in Engineering2590-12302024-12-012410335110.1016/j.rineng.2024.103351Design and numerical analysis of bicycle driver compartment area through CFD simulationBoru Godana Golo0Degefa Legesse Bekele1Garbe Chukulu Jarso2Dr. Ing. Getachew Shunki Tibba3Department of Mechanical Engineering, Borana zone water and Energy, Yabelo, Ethiopia; Corresponding authors.Department of Mechanical Engineering, Bule Hora University, Bule Hora, EthiopiaDeparment of Mechanical Engineering, Wolkite University, Wolkite, Ethiopia; Corresponding authors.Departmet of Mechanical Engineering, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaUpright-seat bicycles exhibit poor aerodynamics, with both rider and bicycle generating significant drag intensified by wind resistance, cold air, and rainfall. This research's aim involves designing and evaluating a bicycle compartment through CFD simulation. Beginning with a standard upright mountain bike model, six conceptual models serve to assess drag, lift, and streamline efficiency. Model 0 (original) provides baseline aerodynamics, indicating a drag coefficient of 0.52, closely aligning with the experimentally measured 0.5. Modifications initiate with Model 1, where rounded frontal corners decrease lift and drag. Model 3 achieves further drag reduction to 0.437 by increasing the rounding radius. Model 4 includes a 350 mm vertical vortex splitter, resulting in a drag coefficient of 0.425. Model 5 integrates horizontal and vertical splitters with chamfering and slanting, while Model 6 adds a rear teardrop angle, enhancing streamlining and reducing recirculation, yielding a drag coefficient of 0.295. Experimental validation in a wind tunnel records a drag coefficient of 0.311, reflecting a 5.42% error due to wind tunnel limitations. Model 6 emerges as the most aerodynamically efficient design.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123024016049AerodynamicsCompartmentDrag and lift coefficientFlow streamVortex splitter
spellingShingle Boru Godana Golo
Degefa Legesse Bekele
Garbe Chukulu Jarso
Dr. Ing. Getachew Shunki Tibba
Design and numerical analysis of bicycle driver compartment area through CFD simulation
Results in Engineering
Aerodynamics
Compartment
Drag and lift coefficient
Flow stream
Vortex splitter
title Design and numerical analysis of bicycle driver compartment area through CFD simulation
title_full Design and numerical analysis of bicycle driver compartment area through CFD simulation
title_fullStr Design and numerical analysis of bicycle driver compartment area through CFD simulation
title_full_unstemmed Design and numerical analysis of bicycle driver compartment area through CFD simulation
title_short Design and numerical analysis of bicycle driver compartment area through CFD simulation
title_sort design and numerical analysis of bicycle driver compartment area through cfd simulation
topic Aerodynamics
Compartment
Drag and lift coefficient
Flow stream
Vortex splitter
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123024016049
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AT degefalegessebekele designandnumericalanalysisofbicycledrivercompartmentareathroughcfdsimulation
AT garbechukulujarso designandnumericalanalysisofbicycledrivercompartmentareathroughcfdsimulation
AT dringgetachewshunkitibba designandnumericalanalysisofbicycledrivercompartmentareathroughcfdsimulation