Cooling Performance Analysis and Design of an Instrumented Radiator in a MotoGP Wind Tunnel Model

The present thesis work was developed in collaboration with the Ducati Corse Aerodynamic Department. It is focused on the measurement system employed on the MotoGP Wind Tunnel model in order to evaluate the cooling performances at the radiators. As first, an analysis of the current methodology is conducted. Based on the arrangement of hybrid-Kiel probes behind the radiators, it was observed that an improvement in the calibration procedure is required in order to account for inter-probe and support frame interference. Furthermore, a correlation process with the CFD simulation was carried out. A good agreement in trend with CFD results was displayed, despite a low accuracy. The need for higher spatial resolution was stated. In order to update the CFD implementation of the actual water radiator, the latter has been characterized in terms of pressure drop on a dedicate radiator test bench, provided by Dallara Automobili. A suitable convergent frame has been designed for the purpose. Finally, a new methodology for cooling performance evaluation was developed and calibrated. The method exploits a set of static and Kiel probes in a dummy radiator core. An honeycomb structure and a perforated plate are implemented to reproduce the real radiator behaviour. Experiments have been performed with half-radiator equipped with the new set up and the other half instrumented with Pitot tubes, showing good agreement between the two probe-types. A set of plates have been characterized. It allowed also to highlight the relevance of the solid part distribution - and related holes' diameter - on the pressure drop and the effect on the measured pressures from the probes.