Flow Topology of the Bi-Stable Wake States for the DrivAer Fastback Model

For this work, conditional averaging and Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) were used to analyze the salient three-dimensional structures in the wake of a DrivAer fastback model with smooth underbody. Conditional averaging revealed that the bi-stable structure of the wake consists of a ring-like structure with three vortex legs, which includes a vortex pair on the side associated with the bi-stability and one on the opposite side associated with the wheel vortex. POD revealed the entrainment of low-momentum fluid from the wheel wake into the vortex pair leads to an induced spanwise crossflow which drives a feedback loop for the bi-stability. The resultant bi-stable structure was dependent on the state of the wheels. With stationary wheels, the feedback mechanism is enhanced, leading to higher spanwise crossflow that breaks the ring-like vortex. A different structure was observed when the wheels rotate, wherein the ring-like structure is unbroken and pierced by the vortex pair. The feedback mechanism and resultant vortex structure are similar to those found in simplified square-back models. Given the similarity in bi-stability between realistic and simplified vehicles, the suppression of the bi-stability in realistic vehicles could initially be based on the same mechanism as that for simplified square-back models.