Page 18 - FYP Abstract BETA Mech, Mechatronics, MD_Neat

Final Year Project 2020/2021

Design and CFD Analysis of Car Rear

Tail Spoiler for Onboard Energy

Harvester in Electric Vehicle

Student’s Name: Muhammad Afiq Bin Zakaria
Supervisor’s Name: Faiza Mohamed Nasir

Supervisor’s Email: faiza@unikl.edu.my

Abstract Encouraging the production of future cars and autonomous vehicles that use cleaner
and renewable energy means rising environmental and energy issues. While primarily an
aerodynamic device, various vibrations are encountered by car rear spoilers, and limited
attention has been given to exploiting these vibrations for alternative energy harvesting. To that
end, a structural and fluid flow analysis has been carried out in order to study the fluid flow
around the rear car spoiler and its impact on the spoiler. A simple rear spoiler 3D model has
been made using CAD software Solidworks with a piezoelectric plate placed on it to analyze
the deformation on the piezo plate resulting from the surrounding air behavior when the car is
moving. The assembly 3D models were simulated using Solidworks in Flow Simulation and
Simulation to observe the airflow and deformation. The results data were then recorded in the
Design-Expert software for the optimization process. The method used for optimization was
Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The optimization result shows that the best model for
maximum displacement and the minimum drag coefficient is the model with an angle of attack
at 12 degrees and the distance between the piezo plate and rear spoiler tail at 0 mm.

Keywords Energy harvester, electric vehicle, piezoelectric, rear car spoiler, CFD, Response
Surface Methodology, optimization

Bachelor of Engineering Technology (Hons) in Mechanical (Automotive) 16
Bachelor of Engineering Technology (Hons) in Mechatronics (Automotive)
Bachelor of Engineering Technology (Hons) in Mechanical Design