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Old 02-13-2010, 05:04 PM   #35 (permalink)
aerohead
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0.04

Quote:
Originally Posted by RobertSmalls View Post
True, but we don't (and maybe can't) know the contributions of profile drag vs skin friction, nor how much of the profile drag happens at the rear of the vehicle.

Come to think of it, maybe you can estimate skin friction's contribution to Cd, by looking at the Cd of a flat plate in turbulent flow. That would give Cd=0.03 from skin friction, for any object that is roughly shaped like a compact car, assuming 100% turbulent (and perhaps also 0% detached) flow.

If a tail increases surface area by a third, you'd be looking at Cd=0.04 from skin drag, and the rest is form drag. But don't expect to reduce profile drag to zero by reducing transom area to zero. Basjoos achieved Cd=0.17 with a tail and other mods, and any car shaped just like GM's race prepped Impact with tailcone will have a Cd=0.153.

Darin, did you record before and after transom area and CdA on your Metro?
Robert,I looked over Hucho's 2nd Ed. He gives Skin friction component of profile drag for typical car @ 0.04,so your value is dead on.He goes on to say that it's basically a constant due to Reynolds Number effect.
Cutting drag by lengthening is the only thing he says makes a difference,and form drag benefit far out weighs the skin friction penalty until you go beyond the aftbody dimensions of the 2.5 L/D tail stucture.
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