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Drag Reduction Optimization of a Day Cab Roof Fairing - Design and Validation
Technical Paper
2015-01-2892
ISSN: 0148-7191, e-ISSN: 2688-3627
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English
Abstract
The current trend towards energy efficient commercial vehicles requires a substantial improvement in their aerodynamic performance.
This paper describes the design methodology for a new roof fairing design with integrated ducts and the predicted effects of the final design on downstream flow. It also provides a baseline comparison with the fairing of a commercial platform and highlights the advantages of using rapid prototyping technologies to test aerodynamic improvements on commercial vehicles.
By integrating into the design of a thermoplastic roof fairing ducts that divert and speed-up air flow it is possible to obtain reduction of drag in the trailer gap and alter the trailer wake favorably. The resulting decrease in yaw-averaged overall drag coefficient is of 5.8%. This translates into an improvement in fuel efficiency of 2.9% when compared to the baseline.
The design optimization was performed using parametric variation of a computational fluid dynamic model at zero and six degree yaw. The resulting design will be validated in a 1/8th scale wind tunnel test of a commercial vehicle while the predicted pressures were used as inputs to a virtual prototype analysis of wind and inertial loads on the full scale model. This allows the necessary modifications for commercial manufacturing to be implemented into the design prior to a highway test in which an additive manufactured prototype will be placed on a commercial vehicle.
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Pereira, C., Morton, M., Martin, C., and Schellekens, G., "Drag Reduction Optimization of a Day Cab Roof Fairing - Design and Validation," SAE Technical Paper 2015-01-2892, 2015, https://doi.org/10.4271/2015-01-2892.Also In
References
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- Browand , F. Reducing Aerodynamic Drag and Fuel Consumption University of Southern California Global Climate & Energy Project Workshop on Advanced Transportation October 10 11 2013
- SAE International Surface Vehicle Recommended Practice SAE Wind Tunnel Test Procedure for Trucks and Buses SAE Standard J1252 July 2012