Aerodynamic Analysis of Ventilated Ducts in Automotive Cooling

Ventilated ducts are designed to channel and direct airflow strategically, specifically for cooling essential automotive components like brake discs and batteries. In the context of brake discs, the persistent friction during braking generates significant heat, which could potentially compromise brake performance which can be controlled by providing appropriate ventilation. The role of ventilated ducts is also essential in regulating the temperature of batteries by directing airflow to dissipate excess heat produced during charging or discharging processes. Therefore, it is imperative to determine optimal inlet and outlet conditions for the duct to enhance its cooling performance. Two sets of simulations are carried out, wherein modifications are made to the dimensions of the inlet and outlet of the brake duct. The initial set involves varying the outlet area and the second set involves varying the inlet area while keeping the other parameters constant. The variation in areas is done in steps of 10 mm by 10 mm. Final temperatures and average velocities are recorded for each case. With the results obtained, the variation of temperature with area and the variation of average velocity with area, both provided smooth trend lines. The configuration featuring an inlet size of 250 mm by 250 mm and an outlet size of 150 mm by 150 mm showcased optimal cooling performance, yielding the most significant percentage decrease in temperature by a value of 389.5 K.