Class a motorhomes aerodynamics

[Abdullah Jaber]

Hi guys, no the company is still running, belongs now to Trailer Dynamics/Krone Commercial Vehicles. located at the RWTH Aachen University campus.

[freebeard]

Welcome to Ecomodder.

Time is either speeding up or stretching out —I don't remember the post at #10 at all.

I watched the video again and what stood out this time was the inflating mechanism standing proud of the sidewall. I proposed a design that has a rigid floor, but was to use a passive inflation system. Those scalloped openings are apparently overkill. More recently I considered retractable fiberglass rods.

[Abdullah Jaber]

Looks very good freebeard. We actually carried on with the work and are now in the third iteration phase.

Fortunately for us, we also prevailed with our patent and were granted the patent this summer.

Unfortunately I cannot send any pictures via ecomodder at the moment, but if you just google under "Alpha Team Aachen" you will be able to see a few pictures

[freebeard]

Do three more posts and the restriction is lifted.

My design has a rigid floor (diffuser roof) but I know that that wouldn't play nice with a loading dock.

[Abdullah Jaber]

yes, probably true. anything that blocks the rear portal is always a problem for the operators.

It was suggested to us that the solution must be cost efficient, light and robust. In addition, the aerodynamic solution must comply with the approval rules.

[sregord]

freebeard,
I have reviewed the NASA aerodynamic data... and it is clear that a boat-tail or folding semi trailertail or Rocketail would get a 11.5' X 8'+ rounded nose brick a more fuel efficient exit.
Ours is a '02 Rexhall Aerbus XL3100. its a measured 32' long. w/44,000miles. It was cheap used, & its nice sitting up front watching the world go by.
I've done some weight reduction. and added vortex generators to the rear, so far.

Honestly I've been a little "abashed" ... most here are projecting on 30mpg autos up to 50 & 60mpg. The first thought why bother chasing a +10% goal of 9mpg. when the newer class Bs might be getting 21mpg. of course those are selling for 10xs what I have in Moby.

[freebeard]

https://www.rvtrader.com/listing/199...100-5016435059

Is there a question? I don't see a lot of opportunity -- delete the step and awning and it's arms, and blister the rooftop air conditioner.

Possibly the best opportunity would be skirts or air curtains over the front wheel wells. At 32ft the boat tail better be deployable at speed.

[Drifter]

If you've got random tires on it, you might gain 10% mpg just from switching to the loweat rolling resistance models. Michelin has a calculator to see what percentage change in rolling resistance you'd get between various tires: https://indus.michelintruck.com/tool...ce-comparison/

I imagine you could get noticable gains by covering most of the undercarriage with smooth panels.

[sregord]

Pretty close ...ours is a 2002. little different headlights
the awning was removed before I bought it, by a wind gust I think. I have no interest in putting that back on....and our stairs tuck in better.

A complete under belly pan, including a diffuser? I'm ready to put a security plate under the catalytic converter. Oh and skirting the rear wheel wells., ala newest Mercedes commercial trucks. I've got lots of old road signs, made of aluminum.

I know.... kinda silly.
1st step is figure out if an UltraGauge or ScanGauge will work on a OBD 1, as that's the label on the V10

There are the 2 sections of driveshaft, 3 u joints between the transmission & the rearend. Lots of room for an on demand electric, and batteries(more weight) or capacitor(s)

[sregord]

I mentioned the Rocketail... I think earlier... which seems to have lost much of its support from retail.
I think is pretty compact, and has interesting flow data.

"https://uspto.report/patent/grant/10,442,478#D00005"