Aerodynamic behavior during closing of sliding door based on fluid–solid coupled simulation

Abstract

The air pressure resistance experienced by an automotive door during its closing process significantly affects user experience. However, owing to the motion complexity of sliding doors, their aerodynamic behavior during closing has not been investigated. In this study, a fluid–solid coupled simulation approach is proposed, in which data exchange between multibody dynamics simulation and computational fluid dynamics simulation is achieved via the functional mockup interface protocol. Actual vehicle tests are conducted to validate the coupled simulation approach, and the results show an average error of 5.2% for the maximum air pressure in the cabin during door-closing. Investigations into the aerodynamic behavior show that the air pressure distribution inside the cabin remains highly uniform throughout the door-closing process and that a significant correlation exists between the air pressure variation and sliding door motion. The effects of the motion mechanism parameters of the sliding door on air pressure are analyzed. A positive correlation is indicated between the air pressure and middle rail radius. When the radius increases from 60 to 120 mm, the maximum air pressure increases by 13.6%. Positive correlations are indicated between the air pressure and the offsets of the hinge of the middle arm along the x- and y-directions. When the hinge's offset is changed from −10 to 10 mm along the x- and y-directions, the maximum air pressure increases by 5.5% and 8.9%, respectively.