Rationale for New Ways to Reduce the Aerodynamic Resistance of Road Trains

In modern conditions, the rising cost of fuel and the adoption of more stringent environmental standards in developed countries require a reduction in fuel consumption by vehicles. The profitability of the trucking industry depends on the fuel economy of trucks, which, in turn, is determined by many factors, including their aerodynamic characteristics. The article substantiates new ways of reducing the aerodynamic drag of road trains based on a study conducted by the authors. Numerical simulation of the road train aerodynamics allows us to determine the distribution of velocity, pressure, and air turbulence zone around it. The effectiveness of known and proposed technical solutions to reduce the aerodynamic drag of trains with the use of spoilers of various designs has been evaluated and implemented. An effective way to reduce the aerodynamic resistance of road trains is proposed. The method is to use air ducts as a part of the semi-trailer through which air flows in from the front and around it, along and through the sides. By means of numerical modeling, the features of the distribution of turbulent dissipation zones of the airflow and its velocity in the rarefaction zone behind the semi-trailer (RZBS) are established. The obtained results confirm the feasibility of the application of the proposed method to reduce the aerodynamic drag of road trains.