Impact of Cavity on Sunroof Buffeting: A Two Dimensional CFD Study

Abstract

Driven by fluid dynamics principles, the concept for buffeting reduction, a cavity installed at the leading edge of the sunroof opening, is analyzed. The cavity provides a room to hold the vortex, shed from upstream, and prevents the vortex from escaping and from directly intruding into the cabin. The concept has been verified by means of a two dimensional simulation for a production SUV using the CFD software — FLUENT. The simulation results show that the impact of the cavity is crucial to reduce buffeting. It is shown that the buffeting level may be reduced by 3 dB by adding a cavity to the sunroof configuration. Therefore, the cavity could be considered as a means of buffeting reduction, in addition to the three currently-known concepts: wind deflector, sunroof glass comfort position and cabin venting. Thorough understanding of the buffeting mechanism helps explain why and how the cavity works to reduce buffeting. Investigation of the buffeting-related physics provides a deep insight into the flow nature and, therefore, a useful hint to geometry modification for buffeting reduction. The buffeting level may be further reduced by about 4 dB or more by cutting the corners of the sunroof opening into smooth ramps, guided by ideas coming from careful examining the physics of flow. More work including three dimensional simulation and wind tunnel experiment should follow in order to develop more confidence in the functionality of the cavity to hopefully promote this idea to the level that it can be utilized in a feasible way to address sunroof buffeting.