View Single Post
Old 04-09-2010, 05:53 PM   #42 (permalink)
aerohead
Master EcoModder
 
aerohead's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Sanger,Texas,U.S.A.
Posts: 15,861
Thanks: 23,922
Thanked 7,207 Times in 4,640 Posts
pure

Quote:
Originally Posted by jamesqf View Post
The original Beetle was not only sucking air in to feed the cooling fans, it was pushing that air out at a higher temperature. So maybe aerodynamics of pure shape don't exactly apply - same principle as a blown wing?
james,I think I see where you're going but my thought is that the air volume moved by the cooling fan would pale in contrast to the air volume of the car's wake.I think it would just be lost in the background noise of the turbulence.
The suction/blown slot wing requires enormous volumes of air,something a turbine engine can provide,and I understand that they're only used during landing or takeoff at very high angles of attack to prevent stall.
The back of the Beetle is stalled all the time even though it never changes orientation,and it appears that the meager suction/blowing of the fan is of no consequence in regards to the drag developed.
  Reply With Quote