This content is not included in your SAE MOBILUS subscription, or you are not logged in.

Drag Reduction of a Modern Straight Truck

Journal Article
2011-01-2283
ISSN: 1946-391X, e-ISSN: 1946-3928
Published September 13, 2011 by SAE International in United States
Drag Reduction of a Modern Straight Truck
Sector:
Citation: Landman, D., Cragun, M., McCormick, M., and Wood, R., "Drag Reduction of a Modern Straight Truck," SAE Int. J. Commer. Veh. 4(1):256-262, 2011, https://doi.org/10.4271/2011-01-2283.
Language: English

Abstract:

A wind tunnel test program was conducted at the Langley Full Scale Tunnel (LFST) to evaluate the performance of five passive drag reduction configurations on a modern straight truck at full scale. Configurations were tested in a build-up fashion with results representing a cumulative effect. Tested configurations include a front valance, a front box fairing, a boat-tail, an ideal side-skirt, and a practical side-skirt. Configurations were evaluated over a nominal 9 degree yaw sweep to establish wind averaged drag coefficients using SAE J1252. Genuine replicate yaw sweeps were used in an uncertainty analysis. Results show up to 28% improvement in wind-averaged drag coefficient and that significant gains can be made in straight truck fuel economy, even at non-highway speeds.