The Diffuser
It is a piece that is placed at a height slightly below the axle of the rear wheels and a little behind it. The front part has a sort of inclined ramp at both sides from the back to the front and down, and in the centre a kind of V with a smoother inclination. This causes an effect that is caused by pressure differences on the sides of a body when it approaches the ground, called the "soil effect". In Formula 1 it is usually motivated by an effect that Giovanni Battista Venturi discovered (Venturi effect) and that consists of when a fluid is channeled and in that channel through which a narrowing occurs, the fluid passes at a higher speed through that narrowing reducing the pressure in it, producing a kind of suction.
Aston Martin diffuser, street vehicle
As a definition of diffuser, we could say that it is a part of the bottom of the car, generally located at the rear, which gradually increases the altitude of the bottom with respect to the ground. In the case of Formula 1 cars, the diffuser is located under the rear wing. There are diffusers of many types, shapes and possible inclinations. Most of them have certain measures and forms in order to comply with the regulations of the category to which they belong. The main functions of a diffuser are:
Bottom view of a Diffuser
Side view of the operation of a Diffuser
The diffuser extracts air from the bottom of the car
The main objective of Formula 1 cars is to stick as close as possible to the ground, using aerodynamic load. Aerodynamic load is generated when in a profile, the airflow below it is low pressure. Then, the normal pressure above the profile pushes the car downwards. The way to achieve low pressure is to make the air flow faster in one area than in another. To achieve this effect, we use a diffuser. As the air moves through the diffuser, it has an increasing volume, which needs to be filled. Then, the air at the bottom of the car is accelerated to occupy this free space.
Formula 1 diffuser diagram. From here the airflow is lower but at a higher speed
The diffuser adapts the flow of the car bottom to normal air
As we have seen in the previous point, the diffuser achieves that the lower part of the car finds a lower pressure than the environment. At the end of the flat bottom, if this low pressure were to come out at ambient pressure without being "treated", it would produce numerous turbulence, which would increase the resistance to the car's advance. That's when the diffuser comes into play. The diffuser is gently increasing the air pressure, so that it is incorporated into the normal air flow as close to it as possible. The diffuser, one of the most important parts of a current Formula 1 car, as it generates a lot of aerodynamic load, in relation to the rest of the car.
The rear of the diffuser, where incoming air exits at higher velocity
The diffusers in this category have been used for more than 40 years and season after season are still looking for improvements, because as we have seen, a diffuser is an essential part to preserve the grip and stability of these cars.
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