Design and aerodynamic analysis of minibus inspired by living organisms

in this study, the flow analysis, drag force, and drag coefficients of various minibus models used as land transportation vehicles were investigated. The most significant factor affecting the drag coefficient is the exterior body design. Fish, which are highly aerodynamic creatures living in nature, possess a body structure that minimizes resistance and maximizes speed while moving underwater. Inspired by these features of fish, exterior body designs were created. The selected fish were chosen particularly for their relatively bulky head structures compared to other fish and their high maneuverability. As a result of the examinations, the Napoleon fish (humphead wrasse), the green humphead parrotfish (hump parrotfish), and the flowerhorn fish were taken as examples, and minibus body designs were developed. These body designs were created using the SOLIDWORKS program. The designs were imported into the ANSYS CFD program to generate a mesh structure. Drag force and drag coefficients of different designs were determined using Fluent software. Subsequently, wind tunnel experiments were conducted. The experimental data were compared with the analysis results. For comparison, a model similar to the Mercedes Sprinter 316 (long wheelbase) was used as a reference. The newly designed model achieved a 13.94% reduction in the drag coefficient compared to the reference model. This reduction was calculated to contribute to a 7% fuel saving. For a vehicle used for an average of 45,000 km annually, the annual fuel savings were calculated to be 283.5 liters. From an environmental perspective, it was estimated that the annual carbon emissions would be reduced by 737 kg CO2e/kg. Keywords: drag coefficient, aerodynamics, biomimetic, wind tunnel, Napoleon wrasse, Green humphead parrotfish, Flowerhorn fish