Aerodynamic influence of the clearance under the cowcatcher of a high-speed train

Abstract The improved delayed detached-eddy simulation (IDDES) method is used to investigate the aerodynamic performance of a high-speed train with cowcatchers having different ground clearances. The numerical results were verified by wind tunnel tests, and validation on the Reynolds number and geometry generality were also conducted. It was proved that the ground clearance under the cowcatcher has a significant effect on the train's time-averaged and transient aerodynamic forces. A smaller ground clearance reduces the aerodynamic drag of the front part of the train body, strength the negative lift while increases the drag of the middle and rear parts as well as the positive lift. Smaller ground clearance also significantly reduces the aerodynamic of its neighboring downstream components. A lower ground clearance makes its power spectral (PS) value stronger and increases the dominant frequency of the neighboring downstream components. The flow pattern on the train body and its surroundings will also be locally affected by the ground clearance, such as slipstream and vorticity distribution.