Hello,
First post here !
I've designed an airfoil profile to help reduce the drag of rigid solar panels mounted on top of campers / vans etc.
Sorry I cannot post links as I'm new
I already shared the designs here:
http://sprinter-source.com/forums/in...threads/93869/
and also on thingiverse:
Front:
http://thingiverse.com/thing:4708973
Rear:
http://thingiverse.com/thing:4719660
Those profiles can be printed with 3D printer and cut and assembled at the desired length.
Those profiles are straightforward and mimic a drop/airfoil profile.
I'm posting here because there is a more difficult problem:
rigid solar panels are preferred because they are more durable and more powerful by size.
They allow heat to escape under the panel and this geatly enhance the power output, a hot panel produces way less than a colder one.
So ..
With my profiles, I "solve" the front and rear drag, but there are two more edges, "inside" the panel:
Sorry I cannot post images or links, hope you will understand.
And if there was no problem with the cooling, I think the shape of the deflector would be simple to prevent the airflow to be trapped inside the aluminium frame.
Maybe some of you master aerodynamics study softwares or have good ideas of what's better to do ?
Thanks and sorry for the non clickable links
*edited after 5 post to have links ;-)