Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com - View Single Post - Full-boat-tail trailer with gap-fillers for Toyota T-100 pickup

aerohead · 10-22-2011, 04:03 PM

Here are some comparisons from the logbook:
Denton-Albuquerque,2010--------------------------------------- 29.872 mpg
ditto---------------, 2011--------------------------------------- 28.753 mpg
3.7% penalty
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Albuquerque-Lakeside,2010-------------------------------------- 31.367 mpg
ditto----------------,2011-------------------------------------- 31.474 mpg
0.3% benefit
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lakeside-Salt Flats,2010---------------------------------------- 28.910 mpg
ditto-------------, 2011---------------------------------------- 29.583 mpg
2.3% benefit
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lakeside-Carson-Lakeside,2010--------------------------------- 28.885 mpg
ditto--------------------,2011--------------------------------- 31.102 mpg
7.6% benefit
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lakeside-Green River,2010-------------------------------------- 36.036mpg
ditto--------------- ,2011-------------------------------------- 31.282mpg
13.1% penalty
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dona Ana-Denton,2010----------------------------------------- 33.187mpg
ditto------------,2011----------------------------------------- 33.171mpg
0.4% penalty
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cloudcroft-Denton,2009---------------------------------------- 32.812mpg
ditto-------------,2010---------------------------------------- 34.264mpg
ditto-------------,2011---------------------------------------- 33.882mpg
2010/2011= 2.8% penalty
2009/2011= 3.2% benefit
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Artesia-Denton,2009------------------------------------------- 31.813mpg
ditto----------,2010------------------------------------------- 34.264mpg
ditto----------,2011------------------------------------------- 33.918mpg
2010/2011=1% penalty
2009/2011=6.6% benefit
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Remarks:
Road-testing is problematic.Variables are
*aerodynamic drag (wind spectra )
*rolling resistance
*climbing/grade resistance
*acceleration/inertia resistance
*load/rpm BSFC
*curve resistance (NCHRP Report 111(Washington,D.C.:Highway Research Board,1971)
*yields,stops,traffic lights,road repair delays,overnight stays
*rain
*temperature
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
If one 'could' keep track of all the variables in real-time,solving for unknowns,simultaneously for each mile puts this sort of thing into the realm of astro-physics.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
The 'captain' driver would need a 1st-officer riding shotgun with a 4-G hot-spot,laptop/tablet/smart-phone and on-board weather data acquisition hardware,airspeed indicator,wind direction,GPS elevation tracking.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
If your obsessive about data collection,you might be able to learn something quantitative about your vehicle.
Wind tunnels look better all the time!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Considerations:
So far,it appears that on grades,the weight addition of the trailer is a liability.At 720-lbs now,with the nearly complete gap-filler mechanism,Viking represents the 'production' version of the tadpole,with a Nissan Leaf battery pack on-board.
For flat-landers,a holiday trip to Grandma's,pulling the trailer would probably incur no penalty.
Throw in some mountains and the equation changes!
Perhaps one day I can do the trailer without the prototypes weight penalty.
I'll keep chipping away at it.

10-22-2011, 04:03 PM	#226 (permalink)
aerohead Master EcoModder Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Sanger,Texas,U.S.A. Posts: 16,228 Thanks: 24,375 Thanked 7,357 Times in 4,757 Posts	Trip Data Comparisons Here are some comparisons from the logbook: Denton-Albuquerque,2010--------------------------------------- 29.872 mpg ditto---------------, 2011--------------------------------------- 28.753 mpg 3.7% penalty ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Albuquerque-Lakeside,2010-------------------------------------- 31.367 mpg ditto----------------,2011-------------------------------------- 31.474 mpg 0.3% benefit ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lakeside-Salt Flats,2010---------------------------------------- 28.910 mpg ditto-------------, 2011---------------------------------------- 29.583 mpg 2.3% benefit ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lakeside-Carson-Lakeside,2010--------------------------------- 28.885 mpg ditto--------------------,2011--------------------------------- 31.102 mpg 7.6% benefit -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lakeside-Green River,2010-------------------------------------- 36.036mpg ditto--------------- ,2011-------------------------------------- 31.282mpg 13.1% penalty -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dona Ana-Denton,2010----------------------------------------- 33.187mpg ditto------------,2011----------------------------------------- 33.171mpg 0.4% penalty -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cloudcroft-Denton,2009---------------------------------------- 32.812mpg ditto-------------,2010---------------------------------------- 34.264mpg ditto-------------,2011---------------------------------------- 33.882mpg 2010/2011= 2.8% penalty 2009/2011= 3.2% benefit -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Artesia-Denton,2009------------------------------------------- 31.813mpg ditto----------,2010------------------------------------------- 34.264mpg ditto----------,2011------------------------------------------- 33.918mpg 2010/2011=1% penalty 2009/2011=6.6% benefit -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Remarks: Road-testing is problematic.Variables are aerodynamic drag (wind spectra ) rolling resistance climbing/grade resistance acceleration/inertia resistance load/rpm BSFC curve resistance (NCHRP Report 111(Washington,D.C.:Highway Research Board,1971) yields,stops,traffic lights,road repair delays,overnight stays rain *temperature -------------------------------------------------------------------------- If one 'could' keep track of all the variables in real-time,solving for unknowns,simultaneously for each mile puts this sort of thing into the realm of astro-physics. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The 'captain' driver would need a 1st-officer riding shotgun with a 4-G hot-spot,laptop/tablet/smart-phone and on-board weather data acquisition hardware,airspeed indicator,wind direction,GPS elevation tracking. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- If your obsessive about data collection,you might be able to learn something quantitative about your vehicle. Wind tunnels look better all the time! -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Considerations: So far,it appears that on grades,the weight addition of the trailer is a liability.At 720-lbs now,with the nearly complete gap-filler mechanism,Viking represents the 'production' version of the tadpole,with a Nissan Leaf battery pack on-board. For flat-landers,a holiday trip to Grandma's,pulling the trailer would probably incur no penalty. Throw in some mountains and the equation changes! Perhaps one day I can do the trailer without the prototypes weight penalty. I'll keep chipping away at it.