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- Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
- Path: sparky!uunet!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uwm.edu!spool.mu.edu!darwin.sura.net!news.duc.auburn.edu!eng.auburn.edu!kevins
- From: kevins@eng.auburn.edu (Kevin Sullivan)
- Subject: Re: Do SPOILERS Really Work???
- Message-ID: <1992Dec30.155023.26504@news.duc.auburn.edu>
- Sender: usenet@news.duc.auburn.edu (News Account)
- Nntp-Posting-Host: gauss.cse.eng.auburn.edu
- Organization: Auburn University Engineering
- References: <1992Dec10.060531.18823@u.washington.edu> <winders-111292101708@macwinders.support.apple.com> <1gjln0INNkg3@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> <1992Dec15.190305.13468@news.cs.brandeis.edu>
- Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1992 15:50:23 GMT
- Lines: 21
-
- In article <1992Dec15.190305.13468@news.cs.brandeis.edu>, andyh@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu (Andrew J. Huang) writes:
-
- |> In the early days of aerodynamic autos they put on long tails in the
- |> expectation that the smooth re-entry would reduce drag and increase
- |> high speeds. After a while a Dr. Kamm observed snowdrifts in a
- |> blizzard and noticed that the wave shape of a drift caused a vortex to
- |> its lee. Moreover the sum of the drift's shape and the vortex
- |> together made a very streamlined (lo drag) shape. Such vortices
- |> behind bluff bodies are now called Kamm vortices and the original
- |> cutoff rear ends with a little uplift were called Kamm-backs. The
- |> little uplift instigates a vortex and prevents a high-drag turbulent
- |> wake. I believe this was circa 1950.
- |>
- |> -andy
-
- I have a Plymouth Voyager minivan and am considering fitting a rear
- "air deflector". My dad's Suburban and brother's Blazer both have
- these and they keep the rear of the vehicles clean, so I think it would
- do the same for mine. A claim has been made that this will also reduce
- drag by sending air into the low pressure area behind the vehicle. Is
- this truth or hype? Would I see any increase in gas mileage at 65 mph?
-