Race Car Research Articles

Development of a design system for synthesis and analysis the motor wheel based on a valve electric motor of combined excitation for hybrid and electric vehicles

The article describes a project to create an electric transmission for ground vehicles. As a layout, a motor-wheel variant is proposed, in which a traction electric motor, power electronics, control system and brake system are integrated into the wheel disk. This arrangement of the traction motor allows you to free up the space of the car for comfort and placement of the electric power storage. A combined excitation machine is proposed as an electric motor, the magnetic flux in which is created simultaneously by permanent magnets and an excitation winding. Permanent magnets allow you to increase the power in the limited dimensions of the disk, and the excitation winding allows you to adjust the magnetic flux, which significantly expands the range of speeds and torques of the vehicle. The design of the electric motor is innovative and protected by a patent of the Russian Federation. To develop a number of similar motor wheels, a design system has been proposed, which consists of two parts: synthesis and analysis. The synthesis system generates the optimal geometry of the electric motor for a specific technical task of the customer. It contains a multi-level structure that allows you to implement developments for various project situations with and without restrictions. The system contains seven such levels. Optimality criteria can be selected depending on the requirements of the project. The analysis system is based on the principle of a digital double. Its methodological basis is the finite element method. The system allows you to conduct a detailed analysis of the electromagnetic and thermal state, to obtain all the necessary integral characteristics. The performance of the design system has been tested on a digital analogue of a real racetrack, which is divided into sections with specified speed modes. The program outputs 15 parameters of both the car and the electric motor. In conclusion, the article shows the design study of a motor wheel for a racing electric car. The design of the prototype and the results of its tests are presented. The design system for the development of motor wheels based on a valve motor of combined excitation can be used for mass production.

Deep Dense Network-Based Curriculum Reinforcement Learning for High-Speed Overtaking

Reinforcement learning methods have promising applications in autonomous vehicles, such as lane keeping, adaptive cruise control, and overtaking. However, long-time sequential decision making in complicated scenarios, such as continuous high-speed overtaking, remains challenge. One such challenge is that current neural networks in reinforcement learning employ a shallow neural network, which has limitations in feature extractions. To address this, we propose a deep actor–critic network framework using multilayer dense-connection networks to obtain efficient extracted features. To be specific, we employ a deep dense architecture in the framework of soft actor–critic, which has multiple hidden layers serving as feature extractions. To tackle the vanishing or exploding gradient problem, we reuse features and design shortcut connections, as well as feature-concatenating operations between hidden layers. Meanwhile, when learning multitask high-speed overtaking as one whole progression, the agent has to learn driving, lane changing, and avoiding other vehicles at the same time. Therefore, another challenge is that sparse rewards worsen the speed of convergence. We design a task-level sequencing curriculum reinforcement learning method to tackle the reward sparseness. It breaks down a complex task into two successive subtasks: the first aims to drive as fast as possible in a single-vehicle model; and the second aims to overtake other vehicles without any collisions as soon as possible according to the knowledge gained from the first task in a multivehicle model. Finally, we evaluate our method using a racing car simulator with different tracks. In a comparison using the standard actor–critic algorithm in three different multivehicle scenarios, the best median results show that our deep actor–critic network framework reduces overtaking distance and overtaking time by up to 4.9% and 8.7%, respectively.

电竞赛车辅助信息栏布局设计——基于眼动实验的研究

电竞赛车辅助信息栏布局设计——基于眼动实验的研究

Hybrid System to Improve the Dynamic Performance of Small Race Cars

Hybrid System to Improve the Dynamic Performance of Small Race Cars

Learning Policies for Automated Racing Using Vehicle Model Gradients

Safe autonomous driving approaches should be capable of quickly and efficiently learning as professional drivers do, while also using all of the available road-tire friction for safety. Inspired by how skilled drivers learn, we demonstrate improvement from an initial optimization-generated racing trajectory using model-based reinforcement learning. By using a simple physics-based dynamics model and gradients of the performance objective, we show that a full-scale automated race car is capable of improving lap time in experiments on high- and low-friction race tracks. Using recorded vehicle data, this approach improves a twenty nine second lap time by almost two full seconds. Beyond improving upon the initial optimization-based solution, it uses only two laps worth of ice track data where conditions can constantly change from lap-to-lap. These results suggest that by combining an approximate model with simple learning techniques, significant improvement to automated racing strategies is possible.

Modeling & Simulation as Industry 4.0 enabling technology to support manufacturing process design: a real industrial application

This research work, first, briefly describes the educational offer of University of Calabria (UNICAL) related to Modeling & Simulation (M&S) and, secondly, presents a case study, developed by UNICAL students, as attempt to transfer the theoretical knowledge on M&S, gained over the university studies, into a real industrial application. As case study, the development of a new racing car front wing, from the mechanical design to the manufacturing process design and optimization, is presented. The manufacturing process design and optimization has been achieved by proposing an approach based on the combination of M&S tools, multiple design parameters and multiple performance measures. In particular, a simulation model has been used to assess the effect of different design parameters on several performance measure. The quantitative evaluation of the effects of the multiple design parameters on the multiple performance measures is achieved by using the Design of Experiments (DOE) being validated by means of the analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Evaluation of Tesla Based on PEST, POCD, SWOT and DCF

Tesla is one of the world’s most valuable companies, which is founded by Elon mask in 2003. Since Tesla released its first electric race car in 2008, it has driven the global shift form diesel to electric vehicles through publicly available technology patents. This paper will evaluate Tesla based on POCD framework, PEST, SWOT and Discounted cash flow analysis. We discovered that Tesla has been provided with many opportunities to develop, along with the support from policy that enable itself to expand its influence around the world. Nevertheless, since investors have put too much expectations on the company, and their investing behaviors affected by COVID-19, Tesla’s real market value has been overvalued that further inflate its stock price. Consequently, we suggest investors to sell Tesla’s stock. In general, the analysis provides readers sufficient information to analyze, which also enables investors to derive a more comprehensive consideration about Tesla. These results can be helpful for investors to some extent when they are valuing this company.

Aerodynamics Study of The Formula SAE Car using Analytical Approach

This paper presents the process of developing an aerodynamics package and a suspension system for a Formula SAE race car, with the help of computational methods for the aerodynamics design and analytical methods for the suspension design. Aerodynamics package involving Front and Rear wings and a suspension system involving a strut activated damper with double wishbones is developed. Vehicle parameters such as wheelbase, track width, etc. and the geometry for the front and rear wings are specified by conducting a review of the SAE rule book. 2D CFD simulations are performed on a wide range of high lift low Reynolds number Airfoils at various geometric configurations to select an airfoil configuration with best performance characteristics. 3D models of front and rear wings are made from the data obtained from 2D simulations to conduct 3D simulations of the wings and the entire assembly of the car with and without the wings. A kinematic analysis is performed on the suspension system since it plays a very important role in the dynamics of the vehicle. Data obtained from the aero simulations and suspension analysis is analyzed in a lap time simulator to predict and compare the performance and lap times of the car with and without the aerodynamic package.

Optimizing Torque Delivery for an Energy-Limited Electric Race Car Using Model Predictive Control

This paper presents a torque controller for the energy optimization of the powertrain of an electric Formula Student race car. Limited battery capacity within electric race car designs requires energy management solutions to minimize lap time while simultaneously controlling and managing the overall energy consumption to finish the race. The energy-managing torque control algorithm developed in this work optimizes the finite onboard energy from the battery pack to reduce lap time and energy consumption when energy deficits occur. The longitudinal dynamics of the vehicle were represented by a linearized first-principles model and validated against a parameterized electric Formula Student race car model in commercial lap time simulation software. A Simulink-based model predictive controller (MPC) architecture was created to balance energy use requirements with optimum lap time. This controller was tested against a hardware-limited and torque-limited system in a constant torque request and a varying torque request scenario. The controller decreased the elapsed time to complete a 150 m straight-line acceleration by 11.4% over the torque-limited solution and 13.5% in a 150 m Formula Student manoeuvre.

Deflection of Formula One Race Car Rear Wing using Numerical Simulations

Formula One is a track-based aerodynamic race between teams. In the design of motorsport cars, aerodynamics is crucial. When compared to the other race cars on the grid, the race car with the best aerodynamic performance performs well on the track and has a good lap time. The design of rear wing has significant influence on the performance of a race car as much of the downforce is provided by rear wing. Using structural and computational models, this paper tries to link the static and dynamic performance of a Formula 1 race car rear wing due to its deflection. Solidworks is used to design a rear wing model of an F-1 car, which is then transferred to Ansys. A speed of 300 kmph is considerd for the study as speed of F-1 cars range from 280 – 340 kmph on Straights. To determine the aerodynamic loadings on the model at 300 kmph, a fluid simulation is run in fluent. Turbulence model of Transition K- Kl- Omega was used. To determine deflection owing to the aerodynamic loads calculated, a structural analysis is performed in Ansys Static Structural. From structural analysis it is evident that deflection exists. Further computational simulations of deflected models about its center of gravity are performed to compare the effects of aeroelasticity of a race car’s rear wing. It is evident from the simulations that a 2 deflection in the wing resulted in a 3 % decrease in drag and a 4 % decrease in downforce which gives a higher performance gain in case of high-speed race cars.

Recipes as Invitations to Read, Write, and Play in Preschool

AbstractThis article describes how preschool‐age children can engage with recipes as a genre for reading, writing, and play. This formative/design study was conducted by a teacher researcher partnership in a linguistically and socioeconomically diverse public early learning center. Through home engagements, the research team identified cooking as a site of everyday literacies in students' homes, and designed a curricular innovation which built on these everyday literacy practices. This curricular innovation included reading, writing, and cooking recipes together, as well as incorporating related materials into the kitchen play area. Students took up these invitations to incorporate literacy into their imaginative play related to cooking. Students also played with the idea of recipes as a genre, adding silly ingredients like pizza into a salad recipe, or inventing a recipe for a race car cake. Finally, for some students, these recipe‐related activities also served to develop conventional literacy skills such as letter formation and name‐writing.

Measurement System for the Experimental Study and Testing of Electric Motors at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Debrecen

The Faculty of Engineering of the University of Debrecen has a long-standing tradition of developing electric and pneumatic-driven prototype race cars. These vehicles are regular participants in domestic and international university competitions. For more conscious development, thus, for more successful racing, a vehicle dynamics simulation program was developed by our research group. One of the main parts of the above program is the simulation of the drive system, including the electric motor. The input data for the motor simulation programs are the electromagnetic and dynamic characteristics of the motor. Most of these characteristics are usually not specified in the motor catalogue; thus, they have to be measured. In this paper, a detailed description of a recently developed measurement system (MS), which is capable of measuring all the above-mentioned characteristics, is presented. Additionally, by applying it, test measurements can also be performed on the motors to check the accuracy of the output functions generated by the simulation programs. Several experimental arrangements and procedures for specific experimental tasks are also presented here as examples for the application of the MS.

Effects of Seat Belts and Shock Absorbers on the Safety of Racing Car Drivers

This paper aimed to study the behavior of a body (dummy) that was in a race car in the event of a frontal collision with a wall in order to see what loads were acting on the dummy. Based on a complex car model, equipped with two safety system seat belts and a shock absorption system, the behavior of the dummy was obtained following frontal collision of the car–dummy assembly. The accelerations were obtained at different points of the dummy’s body and the force that appeared on the seat belts were determined. The Gibbs–Appell method was used to assess the response of the system based on the equations of motion in a problem involving shocks. This paper demonstrates that the revisited old principle of mechanics can offer an interesting and convenient means to obtain results in a short time. FEM and Altair Hyperworks software II was used to model the system. It can be used to determine whether a seat belt is able to work if it has defects during use, such as scratches, cigarette burns or animal bites.

Analyzing Porpoising on High Downforce Race Cars: Causes and Possible Setup Adjustments to Avoid It

The so-called porpoising is a well-known problem similar to bouncing that is affecting the dynamic behavior of basically all the field of 2022 Formula 1 racing cars. It is due to the extreme sensitivity of aerodynamic loads to ride height variations along a lap. Mid-way through the season race engineers are still struggling to cope with this phenomenon and its consequences, with regard to either physiological stress experienced by the drivers or to overall vehicle performance and stability. The paper introduces two kinds of models based on real-world chassis and aerodynamic data, where the above-mentioned downforce sensitivity has been arbitrarily recreated through the application of a decay function to aero maps. The first one is a quasi-static model, usually adopted as a trackside tool for controlling ride heights and aero balance, while the second, a fully dynamic model, recreates the interaction between oscillating aerodynamic loads and suspension dynamics resulting in a visible porpoising phenomenon. Basic setup changes have been tested, including significant static ride height variations. The paper should be seen as a proposal of guidelines in the search of a trade-off between aerodynamic stability and overall performance, without pretention of quantitative accuracy due to the highly confidential topic, which makes numerical validation impossible.

Optimization Design of FSAE Racing Car Sprocket Based on ANSYS

In order to improve the dynamic performance of FSAE racing car, the finite element analysis and lightweight design of racing sprocket are studied in this paper, Firstly, the parametric modeling of the big sprocket of FSAE formula racing car was carried out, and then the finite element modeling and analysis of the initial design scheme was carried out based on ANSYS Workbench software. The lightweight design was designed on the premise of meeting the design requirements, and the reliability of the sprocket design was ensured. Finally, the strength, safety factor and life of the optimized model were simulated and verified, the sample was manufactured, and the physical experiment was carried out by assembling and integrating the model into the racing car. The results show that the optimized sprocket meets the work requirements.

Analysis and Optimization of Rear Wheel Core of FSC Racing Car Based on ANSYS

In order to ensure the stability of the car, ANSYS software is used by Start Point racing team of Beijing institute of technology Zhuhai to analyze the car driving wheel core, the results show that the core of the rear wheel made of pure aluminum alloy material conform to the requirements of the car to the deformation, also meet the requirements of the material properties of stress, but cannot meet the requirements of the wear and tear, so adding interference fit bushing, can improve its wear resistance.

Validation of machine learning approaches for estimating wheel fatigue loads at the front suspension of a race car during track driving

AbstractThe wheel loads of a race car have been estimated in view of structural durability assessments. First, the front left double‐wishbone suspension of a rear‐wheel‐drive race vehicle has been instrumented; then, wheel loads have been estimated by means of four approaches: (i) a geometric matrix (GM) method, (ii) a feedforward neural network (FNN) approach applied to the fully instrumented suspension (FIS), (iii) a FNN approach involving a reduced number of sensors (the partially instrumented suspension (PIS)) and an inertial measurement unit (IMU), and (iv) a linear modeling approach (LM). After having trained the FNNs by using suspension signals acquired in a racetrack as inputs and related tire forces measured with the GM method as targets, the FNN‐based methods have been validated on three different racetracks by comparing the estimated loads with those estimated by means of the GM method. According to the results achieved, the FNN approaches are effective for the estimation of the wheel forces.

The State-Of-Art Aerodynamic Designs On The Open Wheel Race Cars

The F1 race car industry is forever innovating and overcoming difficulties as there are so many variables and uncertainties on an object moving at over 360kpm. This paper will discuss the different designs’ effectiveness and variables that affect the performance of such designs. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations will be examined, along with physical tests to achieve the best results, and to form an accurate conclusion. The paper concluded the relationship between proximity to ground, wing incidence with downforce, including the cause of force reduction phenomenon. Individual study and interactions of front wing and wheel is also discussed with several CFD figures. Overall, these results shed light on guiding further exploration of aerodynamic design for open wheel race cars.

Study on Caster Angle and Steering Stability of Racing Car

The topic in this article is the influence of the caster angle of the automobile. High speed and large steering is a working condition that a racing car must experience, this paper is eager to find the law of the influence of caster angle of kingpin on steering instability under high speed and large steering condition.The caster angle of the Kingpin is of great significance to the steering of a vehicle. On the one hand, it determines the stability of a vehicle when it is running in a straight line, and on the other hand, it determines the return force of the steering wheel when it is turning. In contrast, a smaller caster angle makes steering easier, but less stable at high speeds, while a larger caster angle means a slower steering with a more pronounced return to normal but better stability at high speeds, the determination of the magnitude of the caster angle is very important for the ride comfort of the vehicle.

Research on Lateral and Longitudinal Coordinated Control of Distributed Driven Driverless Formula Racing Car under High-Speed Tracking Conditions

Aiming at the problem that it is difficult to ensure the trajectory tracking accuracy and driving stability of the distributed driven driverless formula racing car under high-speed tracking conditions, a lateral and longitudinal coordinated control strategy is proposed. Based on the adaptive model predictive control theory, the lateral motion controller is designed, and the prediction time domain of the controller is changed in real time according to the change of vehicle speed. Based on the sliding mode variable structure control theory, a longitudinal motion controller is designed to accurately track the desired vehicle speed. Considering the coupling between the lateral and longitudinal controls, the lateral controller inputs the longitudinal speed and displacement of the vehicle, using the feedback mechanism to update the prediction model in real time, the longitudinal controller takes the front wheel angle as the input, the driving torque is redistributed through the differential drive control, and the lateral and longitudinal coordinated control is carried out to improve the trajectory tracking accuracy and driving stability. The typical working conditions are selected for co-simulation test verification. The results show that the lateral and longitudinal coordinated control strategy can effectively improve the vehicle trajectory tracking control accuracy and driving stability.