A New Solar Racing Car Prototype Design: Improved Energy Efficiency Through Aerodynamic and Suspension Design

Authors

  • Miguel A. Rodríguez Richards Universidad de La Serena, Departamento de Ingeniería Mecánica. La Serena, Chile.
  • Pablo H. Alfaro Vicencio Universidad de La Serena, Departamento de Ingeniería Mecánica. La Serena, Chile. & Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Química, Universitat Rovira i Virgili y Escuela Superior de Ingeniería y Tecnología Universidad Internacional de La Rioja. Tarragona, Catalunya, España.
  • Benjamin A. Peralta Tapia Universidad de La Serena, Departamento de Ingeniería Mecánica. La Serena, Chile.
  • Daniel O. Ramirez Quiñones Universidad de La Serena, Departamento de Ingeniería Mecánica. La Serena, Chile.
  • Francisca I. Jure Bustamante Universidad de La Serena, Departamento de Ingeniería Mecánica. La Serena, Chile.

Keywords:

Solar car, aerodynamics, optimization, energy efficiency

Abstract

This study presents the design of the INTIKALLPA VI (IK6) solar prototype for the World Solar Challenge (WSC), a solar vehicle competition. The design seeks to improve energy efficiency through aerodynamic and suspension optimizations, noting that aerodynamics account for 80% of energy consumption. Aerodynamic simulations were performed with ANSYS(R) Fluent, using the finite volume method and the k-omega SST turbulence model. In addition, the suspension system, which is responsible for 15% of the energy consumption due to tire friction, was optimized. A pushrod type suspension system, simulated in SOLIDWORKS(R) using the finite element method, was implemented, which reduced the weight and improved the stability of the vehicle. The results show a 12% increase in energy efficiency and a 5% reduction in aerodynamic drag over the previous version.

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Published

2025-03-31

Issue

Vol. 1 No. 18 (2024): Industrial Applications

Section

Abstracts in MECOM 2024

License

Copyright (c) 2024 Argentine Association for Computational Mechanics

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

This publication is open access diamond, with no cost to authors or readers.

Only those abstracts that have been accepted for publication and have been presented at the AMCA congress will be published.

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