This dissertation provides a fundamental study of the fluid mechanics of an automobile washer spray system, from the reservoir to the windshield. A computational model is presented that specifies the strike location of the washer spray and thus reduces wind-tunnel and road test time. Pressure drop through the tubing system is predicted by applying the principles of fluid mechanics. A new algebraic model predicting the frequency and exit velocity of fluidic devices is successfully developed. It is generated by applying design of experiment and statistical regression analysis on a set of computational experimental data. The linear theory of hydrodynamic stability is used to predict jet and droplet breakup. The two-phase flow (air and washer liquid) stage of the washer spray is modeled using the source panel method for the air flow and Newton's Second Law to track the spray trajectory.; The numerical scheme was designed to simplify the complexity of the two-phase flow analysis and to be computationally economical. The computational results have been compared with experimental tests. In general, good qualitative and quantitative agreement is obtained.; This work is a pioneering effort in simulating the complexities associated with the fluidics droplet trajectory in automotive washer spray. Also, a new equation for fluidic devices that predicts the output frequency and maximum exit velocity is developed. Another unique aspect of this study is the use of design of experiment techniques with numerical as opposed to physical experiments.
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