View Single Post
Old 12-31-2012, 11:30 AM   #21 (permalink)
MetroMPG
Batman Junior
 
MetroMPG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22,515

Blackfly - '98 Geo Metro
Team Metro
Last 3: 70.09 mpg (US)

MPGiata - '90 Mazda Miata
90 day: 52.71 mpg (US)

Even Fancier Metro - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage top spec
90 day: 70.75 mpg (US)

Appliance car - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (base)
90 day: 52.48 mpg (US)
Thanks: 4,062
Thanked 6,959 Times in 3,603 Posts
congrats - you have attached flow!

The tufts on your rear glass indicate attached flow. They're lying flat and relatively still. That's exactly what you want to see.

Separated flow is characterized by reversal of flow direction and/or tufts lifting clear off the surface while swirling randomly / violently.

For a clear example of flow separation revealed by tuft testing, watch the bottom row of tufts on the rear glass of this Toyota Corolla at around the 0:50 to 1:30 point in the video (the part of the video where there are NO vortex generators on the roof).



It is also possible to see a fair amount of turbulence, but still have attached flow (tufts move around with some side to side motion, but still continue to point in the expected direction of flow).

__________________
Project MPGiata! Mods for getting 50+ MPG from a 1990 Miata
Honda mods: Ecomodding my $800 Honda Fit 5-speed beater
Mitsu mods: 70 MPG in my ecomodded, dirt cheap, 3-cylinder Mirage.
Ecodriving test: Manual vs. automatic transmission MPG showdown



EcoModder
has launched a forum for the efficient new Mitsubishi Mirage
www.MetroMPG.com - fuel efficiency info for Geo Metro owners
www.ForkenSwift.com - electric car conversion on a beer budget
  Reply With Quote