Design of high-lift airfoils for low aspect ratio wings with endplates

Abstract

High-lift multi-element airfoils for low-aspect ratio wings with endplates find application in race car rear wings used to generate high aerodynamic down force. Airfoils for such applications must not only generate maximum lift (to maximize the down force) but also must satisfy several geometric constraints imposed by the race rules. Induced effects arising as a result of the low aspect ratio determine the operating angle of attack at which the lift is to be maximized. This paper presents some of the challenges involved in designing such airfoils and briefly describes the design methodology adopted in the current work. A parametric study using a baseline two-element airfoil is then presented to illustrate some of the unusual results obtained as a consequence of sat­ isfying the geometric constraints while maximizing the wing down force.