Design Goals:

The overall goal for the fairing design was to create a streamlined design that would reduce the drag force of the vehicle. The fairing should also be as light as possible to increase the fuel economy of the vehicle and should manufacturable with TCNJ facilities. In August 2017, TCNJ finished construction of a new STEM building, which contains space and tools to work with a wider variety of materials such as fiberglass and carbon fiber. Air flow is important for the engine performance and driver’s comfort , since the competition is taking place in the summer heat and the driver could be in the vehicle for 30 minutes or more. A goal for the air flow is to keep the body streamlined, but to promote air circulation near the engine and driver that will not induce too much drag.

Design:

The proposed design consists of a double layer layup of 3k carbon fiber with epoxy resin. The orientation of the carbon fiber is 0° / 45° which keeps the fairing lightweight, and strong. To achieve a streamlined body, the vehicle has a teardrop shape. The overall dimensions for the fairing is 9.2 feet long, and 21 inches wind at the roll hoop, with an estimated weight of 10 lbs. The wheels are enclosed inside the fairing, and there will be a thin wall to block the driver from propelling the vehicle. Forward visibility is achieved by a 1/16” clear polycarbonate windshield at the front of the vehicle and side windows created by thin polycarbonate film. The windows combined offer the driver a full 180° of forward visibility, and the front window extends from the feet to the head of the driver. Rearward visibility is achieved through mirrors attached to the wall the back of the wheels on the exterior of the vehicle.  The fairing consists of three main independent bodies, the front, the back and the bottom.