A comprehensive study on the role of CFD in modern suspension engineering

Modern suspension systems have progressed from basic mechanical links to intricate assemblies incorporating hydraulic, pneumatic, and electrical elements. The demand for enhanced comfort, handling, safety, and energy efficiency in automobiles has rendered suspension design progressively intricate. This review elaborates on the progression of suspension systems and the increasing demand for sophisticated simulation tools in design and development. The review further presents the principles of CFD and its application to internal fluid flow analysis, through shock absorbers and external aerodynamic study of suspension components to enhance damping properties, mitigate cavitation, improve heat dissipation, and optimise the aerodynamic efficiency of exposed suspension components. The study discusses the obstacles in CFD application, such as meshing complexity, solver precision, computational expense, and the necessity for validation through experimental data. The study underscores growing trends and prospective opportunities for CFD in suspension engineering, including multi-physics simulations, real-time analysis, and integration with AI-driven optimisation methods. The CFD simulations predicted damping and vibration characteristics with a maximum error below 10%. Post-optimisation results showed a 36.6% improvement in pressure regulation (up to 5.6 MPa) and a 45% reduction in response time (9 ms), significantly enhancing dynamic performance. These results highlight that CFD is both a potent design instrument and a strategic facilitator of innovation in suspension systems for contemporary and forthcoming automobiles, encompassing electric and autonomous platforms.