Flow characteristics over a tractor-trailer model with and without vane-type vortex generator installed

Lo, Kin Hing; Kontis, Konstantinos

doi:10.1016/j.jweia.2016.10.009

Cited by 14 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Aerodynamic force measurement is a commonly used quantitative experiment that includes pressure measurement and velocity measurement. Qualitative experiments are always used to display the flow field, and PIV measurement is a common method [24,25].…”

Section: Research Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

Research on the Aerodynamic Characteristics of Tractor-Trailers with a Parametric Cab Design

et al. 2018

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As tractor-trailer ownership has increased year-by-year, corresponding energy consumption and environmental issues have gradually become a heated issue. Approximately 45 percent of the total aerodynamic drag of tractor-trailers is attributed to the flow at the front surface of the cab, and the gap between the cab and trailer. Therefore, this study has taken a new approach to designing the shape of the cab inspired by the external forebody of the cheetah. A parametric design protruding cab was devised in this study; the length of the protruding part and the angle between this protruding part and the A pillar were two design variables. Computational fluid dynamics simulation was conducted to investigate the drag reduction effects of these new cab styling designs, and the proposed cab reduced the drag by a maximum of 8.49%. The flow characteristics around the whole body of the tractor-trailer baseline model and the parametric cab design vehicle model were analyzed using the velocity streamline graph to illuminate the change of the flow field and the drag-reduction mechanism of the proposed design. A vortex formed above the protruding part of the cab and it acted as a 'vortex cushion' to accelerate the speed of the air flow; accordingly, the positive and negative pressure distribution on the front surface of the cab and trailer also changed. The new parametric design has provided the possibility to adjust the forebody of the cab to an aerodynamically optimized shape, and these findings have offered useful information for the development of a new design method of the tractor-trailer to reduce aerodynamic drag and improve fuel economy.

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Section: Research Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

Research on the Aerodynamic Characteristics of Tractor-Trailers with a Parametric Cab Design

et al. 2018

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“…Low-speed wind tunnel tests were conducted to investigate the flow characteristics along the wake region of the articulated lorry model with and without the linear AC-DBD plasma actuation being implemented. The wind tunnel used was identical to that employed by Lo and Kontis in [11,30]. The setup of the wind tunnel tests in the present study was similar to that shown in [30] and is summarised in Figure 5.…”

Section: Wind Tunnel Testsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, as the vehicles need to be lengthened in order to accommodate these flow control devices, daily operation of the vehicle becomes illegal if the current legislation regarding the maximum length and width of articulated lorries remain unchanged [10]. Other than boat tails and flaps, flow separation control in articulated lorries using vortex generators have been investigated in several studies [11][12][13][14]. In general, no obvious effects in altering the wake size and drag reduction could be achieved using this passive flow control device on the trailer of an articulated lorry.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In general, no obvious effects in altering the wake size and drag reduction could be achieved using this passive flow control device on the trailer of an articulated lorry. It is interesting to note that a recent study conducted by Lo and Kontis [11] suggested that the size of the recirculating bubble might be reduced by installing a series of counter-rotating vane-type vortex generators on the roof near the front end of a square-back trailer. However, smoke visualisation images were used to measure the size of the recirculating bubble; therefore, the data shown in [11] should be treated qualitatively.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Wake Flow Characteristics over an Articulated Lorry Model with/without AC-DBD Plasma Actuation

Sriram

Kontis

2019

Applied Sciences

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The wake flow characteristics of a 1:20 scale articulated lorry model with a linear Alternate Current Dielectric Barrier Discharge (AC-DBD) plasma actuation implemented was experimentally investigated. Time-averaged velocity, turbulence, and vorticity information along the centreline of the model were constructed using a two-component particle image velocimetry technique. In addition, force balance was used to measure the time-average drag force acting on the model with and without the use of AC-DBD plasma actuation. In general, the AC-DBD plasma actuation showed negligible effect in changing the drag coefficient of the test model. Moreover, implementing the AC-DBD plasma actuation around the rear end of the trailer model could neither alter the size nor the reverse flow velocity in the wake region. In contrast, the AC-DBD plasma actuation increased the levels of fluctuation in the flow turbulence kinetic energy and vorticity but showed no observable effect to alter the frequency response of the flow in the wake region. It is deduced that the use of AC-DBD plasma actuation indeed generated no flow control effect at the rear end of an articulated lorry trailer.

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“…In addition to the wind turbines, they have been investigated in centrifugal compressors [148], tractor-trailers [149] and aeroplanes [150]. As the active vortex generator jets, passive vortex generators are used for separation control.…”

Section: Turbulence and Vortex Generators (Classification: Passive Gmentioning

confidence: 99%

Flow Control Methods and Their Applicability in Low-Reynolds-Number Centrifugal Compressors—A Review

Tiainen

Grönman

Jaatinen-Värri

et al. 2017

IJTPP

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Abstract:The decrease in the performance of centrifugal compressors operating at low Reynolds numbers (e.g., unmanned aerial vehicles at high altitudes or small turbomachines) can reach 10% due to increased friction. The purposes of this review are to represent the state-of-the-art of the active and passive flow control methods used to improve performance and/or widen the operating range in numerous engineering applications, and to investigate their applicability in low-Reynolds-number centrifugal compressors. The applicable method should increase performance by reducing drag, increasing blade loading, or reducing tip leakage. Based on the aerodynamic and structural demands, passive methods like riblets, squealers, winglets and grooves could be beneficial; however, the drawbacks of these approaches are that their performance depends on the operating conditions and the effect might be negative at higher Reynolds numbers. The flow control method, which would reduce the boundary layer thickness and reduce wake, could have a beneficial impact on the performance of a low-Reynolds-number compressor in the entire operating range, but none of the methods represented in this review fully fulfil this objective.

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Flow characteristics over a tractor-trailer model with and without vane-type vortex generator installed

Cited by 14 publications

References 19 publications

Research on the Aerodynamic Characteristics of Tractor-Trailers with a Parametric Cab Design

Research on the Aerodynamic Characteristics of Tractor-Trailers with a Parametric Cab Design

Wake Flow Characteristics over an Articulated Lorry Model with/without AC-DBD Plasma Actuation

Flow Control Methods and Their Applicability in Low-Reynolds-Number Centrifugal Compressors—A Review

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