CFD Analysis of Aerodynamic Drag Reduction in Heavy Vehicles by Changing its Frontal Area: Techinical Note

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Hasen ◽  
S. Elangovan ◽  
M. Sundararaj ◽  
K.M. Parammasivam
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Consumption ◽  
Aerodynamic Drag ◽  
Fuel Efficiency ◽  
Rolling Resistance ◽  
Aerodynamic Performance ◽  
Frontal Area ◽  
Heavy Vehicles ◽  
Design Engineers ◽  
Ansys Cfx ◽  
Aerodynamic Drag Reduction

Nowadays, fuel efficiency of heavy vehicles became an ultimate issue to the manufacturing and design engineers. The best approach to reduce the fuel consumption is to improve the aerodynamic performance of vehicle. This can be achieved by reducing the drag, because drag coefficient is directly proportional with the fuel consumption. Design engineers trying to improve the heavy vehicle’s performance by manipulating various parameters such as engine parameters, weigh, rolling resistance and aerodynamic drag. In this project, efforts were made to increase the aerodynamic performance by changing the frontal area of the container. Computational analysis was carried out at various velocities (50km/hr, 60km/hr, and 70km/hr) by changing the frontal area of the container in heavy vehicles. Different truck geometries were done using CATIA V5 and the simulations were done using ANSYS CFX software. Results were obtained and comparative studies were made. As a result of comparisons between various designs, the cowl of 2h dimension shows better results in reducing the drag when compared with the other designs.

Method to Reduce Drag Coefficient for Fuel Efficiency in Semi-Truck Trailer and Trailer Stability

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anu R. Nair ◽  
Fred Barez ◽  
Ernie Thurlow ◽  
Metin Ozen
Keyword(s):  
Drag Coefficient ◽  
Fuel Consumption ◽  
Aerodynamic Drag ◽  
Fuel Efficiency ◽  
Rolling Resistance ◽  
Ansys Fluent ◽  
Improve Fuel Efficiency ◽  
Area Of Interest ◽  
Streamlined Body ◽  
External Forces

Heavy commercial vehicles due to their un-streamlined body shapes are aerodynamically inefficient due to higher fuel consumption as compared to passenger vehicles. The rising demand and use of fossil fuel escalate the amount of carbon dioxide emitted to the environment, thus more efficient tractor-trailer design becomes necessary to be developed. Fuel consumption can be reduced by either improving the driveline losses or by reducing the external forces acting on the truck. These external forces include rolling resistance and aerodynamic drag. When driving at most of the fuel is used to overcome the drag force, thus aerodynamic drag proves an area of interest to study to develop an efficient tractor-trailer design. Tractor-trailers are equipped with standard add-on components such as roof defectors, boat tails and side skirts. Modification of these components helps reduce drag coefficient and improve fuel efficiency. The objective of this study is to determine the most effective geometry of trailer add-on devices in semi-truck trailer design to reduce the drag coefficient to improve fuel efficiency and vehicle stability. The methodology consisted of CFD analysis on Mercedes Benz Actros using ANSYS FLUENT. The simulation was performed on the tractor-trailer at a speed of 30m/s. The analysis was performed with various types of add-on devices such as side skirts, boat tail and vortex generators. From the simulation results, it was observed that addition of tractor-trailer add-on devices proved beneficial over modifying trailer geometry. Combination of add-on devices in the trailer underbody, rear and front sections was more beneficial in reducing drag coefficient as compared to their individual application. Improving fuel efficiency by 17.74%. Stability of the tractor-trailer is improved due to the add-on devices creating a streamlined body and reducing the low-pressure region at the rear end of the trailer.

Effect of Underbody Geometry on the Fuel Efficiency of Gasoline and Electric Vehicles

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krishnaswamy Mahadevan ◽  
Fred Barez ◽  
Ernie Thurlow ◽  
Davood Abdollahian
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Consumption ◽  
Drag Force ◽  
Cfd Simulation ◽  
Aerodynamic Drag ◽  
Fuel Efficiency ◽  
Rolling Resistance ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Ansys Fluent ◽  
Drag Forces ◽  
Pressure Region

Automotive industry in continuously expected to produce more fuel-efficient vehicles. Increasing fuel prices and environmental concerns such as emission of CO2 are two areas in vehicle design improvement. There are multiple factors that affect the fuel economy such as rolling resistance, aerodynamic drag, and weight of the vehicle. As the speed of the vehicle increases, aerodynamic drag force becomes the dominating factor affecting the fuel consumption. This aerodynamic drag is a result of the low-pressure region created at the rear end of the vehicle. This low-pressure region is due to the relative square shape of the vehicle at the rear end which generates vortices. This project aims to investigate the effects of an underbody in reducing the aerodynamic drag forces and its effects on fuel usage. The underbody in vehicles is one such area in improving the aerodynamics of a vehicle which can have an impact on overall drag force. Various underbody geometry modifications were carried out on a 3D model of Fiat 500 Electric and Gasoline versions to simulate the effect of underbody geometry on fuel consumption using the CFD simulation tool ANSYS Fluent. It was concluded that the underbody of vehicle influences the overall aerodynamic drag by 20%. Underbody geometry modification helps in reducing the fuel consumption by decreasing the overall aerodynamic drag of the vehicle.

scholarly journals Reduction of Aerodynamic Drag of Heavy Vehicles using CFD

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 2670-2678
Author(s):  
Priyank Kothari
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Economy ◽  
Aerodynamic Drag ◽  
Fuel Efficiency ◽  
Heavy Vehicles ◽  
Heavy Trucks ◽  
Air Resistance

Abstract: Aerodynamic drag is the force that opposes an object’s motion. When a vehicle no matter the size, is designed to allow air to move fluidly over its body, aerodynamic drag will have less of an impact on its performance and fuel economy. Heavy trucks burn a significant amount of fuel as to overcome the air resistance. More than 50% of an 18-wheeler’s fuel is spent reducing aerodynamic drag on the highways. Keywords: Aerodynamics, Heavy vehicles, ANSYS, Aerodynamic Drag, Fuel efficiency.

A Study on the Aerodynamic Drag of a Non-Pneumatic Tire

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyeonu Heo ◽  
Jaehyung Ju ◽  
Doo-Man Kim ◽  
Sangwa Rhie
Keyword(s):  
Drag Force ◽  
Aerodynamic Drag ◽  
Fuel Efficiency ◽  
Rolling Resistance ◽  
Navier Stokes ◽  
Viscoelastic Materials ◽  
Complex Flow ◽  
Pneumatic Tire ◽  
Rans Method ◽  
Pneumatic Tires

An understanding of the flow around a tire in contact with the ground is important for when designing a fuel efficient tire as aerodynamic drag accounts for about one third of an entire vehicle’s rolling loss [1]. Recently, non-pneumatic tires (NPTs) have drawn attention mainly due to their low rolling resistance associated with the use of low viscoelastic materials in their construction. However, an NPT’s fuel efficiency should be re-evaluated in terms of aerodynamic drag: discrete flexible spokes in an NPT may cause more aerodynamic drag, resulting in greater rolling resistance. In this study, the aerodynamic flow around an NPT in contact with the ground is investigated for i) stationary and ii) rotating cases using the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) method. The NPT has a more complex flow and a higher drag force than does the pneumatic counterpart.

scholarly journals Review on Aerodynamic Drag Reduction of Vehicles

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
A N M Mominul Islam Mukut ◽  
Mohammad Zoynal Abedin
Keyword(s):  
Drag Reduction ◽  
Fuel Consumption ◽  
Fossil Fuel ◽  
Review Paper ◽  
Aerodynamic Drag ◽  
Aerodynamic Design ◽  
Combined Control ◽  
Optimum Aerodynamic ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Aerodynamic Drag Reduction

Due to higher price, limited supply and negative impacts on environment by fossil fuel, automobile industries have directed their concentrations in reducing the fuel consumption of vehicles in order to achieve the lower aerodynamic drag. As a consequence, numerous researches have been carried out throughout the world for not only getting the optimum aerodynamic design with lower drag penalty and but also other parameters that increases the fuel consumption. In this regard, relevant experimental and numerical outcomes on vehicle drag reduction considering various techniques such as active, passive and combined techniques in order to delay or suppress flow separation behind the vehicles have been considered in this review paper. Furthermore, the effects of drag reduction and their applicability on the vehicles are also illustrated in this paper. Therefore, it is conjectured that the drag reduction has been improved as much as 20%, 21.2%, and 30% by using the active, passive and combined control systems, respectively.

Effect of Boat Tail Profile on Drag Coefficient of a Sedan Using CFD

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salman Javed ◽  
Farhan Javed ◽  
Samsher
Keyword(s):  
Drag Reduction ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Aerodynamic Drag ◽  
Fuel Efficiency ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Optimum Shape ◽  
Passenger Cars ◽  
Ground Conditions ◽  
Catenary Curve ◽  
Aerodynamic Drag Reduction

An appendage is a boat tail which is installed at the rear section of the passenger car. An inflatable appendage has been developed to reduce the aerodynamic drag experienced by passenger cars. It can be inflated when driving under high-speed conditions and deflated while parking. In this study, an appendage is designed to maintain the streamlined rear body configuration and reduce flow separation. The profile of this aerodynamic device is based on several mathematical curves such as kappa curve, lame curve, catenary curve and aerofoil curve. Four types of boat tailing devices with different lengths and profiles were installed, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis was performed under moving ground conditions. The primary objective of this study is to find an optimum shape for the appendage and explain the aerodynamic drag reduction mechanism. Comparisons between the base model and modified models were made on the basis of the coefficient of drag, pressure contours, velocity contours, velocity streamlines and pressure distribution plot. It is shown that significant drag reduction can be obtained with the proposed aerodynamic device. Improvement in fuel efficiency varies based on the profile of add-on device. It is shown numerically that the aerodynamic performance is improved by 18.8% compared to the base model. As a result, the fuel consumption of the modified sedan reduces by 4.5%.

A Review of Commercial Vehicle Aerodynamic Drag Reduction Techniques

1985 ◽  
Vol 199 (3) ◽  
pp. 215-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
K P Garry
Keyword(s):  
Aerodynamic Drag ◽  
Fuel Efficiency ◽  
Relative Effectiveness ◽  
Aerodynamic Characteristics ◽  
Performance Assessments ◽  
Commercial Vehicles ◽  
Reduction Techniques ◽  
Legal Constraints ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Aerodynamic Drag Reduction

The aerodynamic characteristics of commercial vehicles have been of interest to researchers for many years, primarily with a view to reducing drag and consequently improving fuel efficiency. Despite developments in the design of low drag vehicles proprietary devices in various forms remain the most effective method of reducing drag on the majority of vehicles in current use. The relative effectiveness of these devices is discussed in relation to the variety of vehicle geometries to which they are fitted and performance assessments are made, particularly with reference to the need for crosswind efficiency. A general summary of potential aerodynamic developments is given, emphasizing the concept of matching the flowfield of cab and container to obtain optimum interference. The effectiveness of cab–container gap seals and trailer side skirts, both intended to reduce drag under crosswind conditions, is also discussed. All such developments are taken in the context of existing commercial and legal constraints likely to influence their impact on the next generation of commercial vehicles.

scholarly journals Aerodynamic Drag Reduction for a Generic Truck Using Geometrically Optimized Rear Cabin Bumps

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdellah Ait Moussa ◽  
Justin Fischer ◽  
Rohan Yadav
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Dynamics ◽  
Computational Fluid Dynamics ◽  
Drag Reduction ◽  
Aerodynamic Drag ◽  
Numerical Technique ◽  
Fuel Efficiency ◽  
Orthogonal Arrays ◽  
Promising Strategy ◽  
Vehicle Fuel Efficiency ◽  
Aerodynamic Drag Reduction

The continuous surge in gas prices has raised major concerns about vehicle fuel efficiency, and drag reduction devices offer a promising strategy. In this paper, we investigate the mechanisms by which geometrically optimized bumps, placed on the rear end of the cabin roof of a generic truck, reduce aerodynamic drag. The incorporation of these devices requires proper choices of the size, location, and overall geometry. In the following analysis we identify these factors using a novel methodology. The numerical technique combines automatic modeling of the add-ons, computational fluid dynamics and optimization using orthogonal arrays, and probabilistic restarts. Numerical results showed reduction in aerodynamic drag between 6% and 10%.

Aerodynamic Drag Reduction of SUV Based on Underbody Cover Board

2014 ◽  
Vol 602-605 ◽  
pp. 477-480
Author(s):  
Jing Yu Wang ◽  
Bao Yu Wang ◽  
Xing Jun Hu ◽  
Lei Liao
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Drag Reduction ◽  
Drag Coefficient ◽  
Aerodynamic Drag ◽  
Flow Line ◽  
Wind Tunnel Test ◽  
Aerodynamic Performance ◽  
Simulation Based ◽  
Aerodynamic Drag Coefficient ◽  
Aerodynamic Drag Reduction

The principles and method of computational fluid dynamics were applied to numerical simulate the external flow field about the SUV model. The hybrid mesh of tetrahedral and triangular prismatic as well as the turbulence model of Realizable k-ε was adopted to study the flow field of SUV of flat underground. Then the SUV of complex underground was simulated with the same mesh strategy and boundary condition. The aerodynamic drag coefficient of latter was bigger than former. That illuminated the complex underground has affect to aerodynamic performance of vehicle. The wind tunnel test validated the veracity of numerical simulation. Based on that, the underground cover board was appended; the aerodynamic drag coefficient was depressed. The velocity and pressure distribution and flow line were achieved. The conclusions provide theoretical reference for the further study of aerodynamic drag reduction of complex underground.

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