Class 8 Truck modifications

[freebeard]

Here's a sketch I did for someone with a pickup truck. The idea is that the [conveyor belt/mudflap] material is only fastened along the legs of the U. My thinking is that only bounded on two edges it can deform and rebound more easily.

The angle could be increased to make a more upright wheel spat.

[craysus]

Originally Posted by freebeard

Here's a sketch I did for someone with a pickup truck. The idea is that the [conveyor belt/mudflap] material is only fastened along the legs of the U. My thinking is that only bounded on two edges it can deform and rebound more easily.

The angle could be increased to make a more upright wheel spat.

You will have to lead my by the nose on that one..
Looks like a attempt to "boat tail" the mud flap?

Wouldnt a standard aero mudflap design work more efficienctly? (Designed to allow 75% of air to pass through the mudflap, thus reducing frontal area effectively..I consider a truck as having 12 mudflaps, each around 300x500mm size..(2sqm!!) which equates to around 50% of the frontal area of the truck...
If you consider the aeroflaps pass 75% of air through them, that reduces 2sqm of frontal impact area to around 0.5sqm...
Obviously this frontal impact area is NOT as severe as the front of the truck, as the air hitting it is "slower" due to being indirect..however even if the air is 50% velocity...it would have a huge impact..
Looks like around 1.5% improvement on the tractor, and 2% or so on the trailer just using them..

Now a boat tailed flap on the aero flaps...hmmmm...on a normal car/small truck might be beneficial.

I am looking to reduce amount of air under the truck (Using a front air dam under the bumper), and relive the amount behind the wheel wells..AND prevent air coming in from the sides with wheel covers...I doubt boat tails on mudflaps could be used?

Possibly missing something however !!

[freebeard]

Here is the aerodynamic ideal (impractical on a truck):

[IMG][/IMG]

Blisters around each tire. Here is the MG181:


Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com - Sven7's Album: Aero vehicles - Picture

These are termed wheel spats rather than mudflaps. An example on a late model car:


http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthread.php/show-me-your-wheel-spats-13669.html#post231206

My proposal is in the middle ground. Think of it as a mudflap that is cupped or curled to stiffen it so it holds it's shape. It could be applied ahead of or behind a wheel, or both. Height maybe half the tire width?

[craysus]

Some more light reading..

http://nparc.cisti-icist.nrc-cnrc.gc...3-9658934e59e0

Of note, looks like a trailer fairing would be beneficial..around 1.5% aero drag reduction (.75% fuel economy)
also, underbody plates between bumper and front axle, combined with TOP of chassis (behind cab) plates to prevent air entering into trailer gap ..around another 1% economy saving..
Would have to make the underbody plates pretty substantial however..possibly alloy checkerplate with a lot of bolts..otherwise a kangaroo will rip it off in short time..

[craysus]

Latest spreadsheet with a number of improved estimates included..(Trying to get it as accurate as possible)

free upload pictures

[freebeard]

alloy checkerplate with a lot of bolts

https://www.grimco.com/Catalog/Products/MAXmetal

Aluminum skins on HDPE plastic. Two different skin thicknesses, .15mm or .21mm, about like a beer can. Sheet sizes up to 5x10ft. Competitive products are Polymetal and Aluma-panel. Here are tests I did shearing, braking and rolling samples of Polymetal by hand:



The white stripe is an H-channel joining two pieces. Braking cracked the outer skin. I had less success trying to dimple it for recessed fastener heads.

[gumby79]

Hand holding
This spat is in front of the wheels and the flaws you're talking about ,go behind the wheels
A spat deflects the air around the flat surface of the tire with less energy.

[craysus]

I am just waiting on my Engine modifications to finalise through testing..looking promising.

I am comparing 2 x different Hydrogen production methodologies (Excluding electrolysis due to the high inputs vs outputs), and both options look to be working well in preliminary testing. Both options have some small hurdles to overcome first prior to being finalised.
Water injection, testing so far has been insanely good, with 25-30% water injection on the test mule (medium Isuzu truck) ..We are expecting this to INCREASE to 30-35% when fully tuned..

Overall, the engine modifications with external fuels being added in may achieve a stacking effect around the 40%+ in fuel savings alone..add in the Aero and friction savings, and I might be able to achieve 60%+ savings ...
Very promising...

[freebeard]

Water injection, testing so far has been insanely good, with 25-30% water injection on the test mule (medium Isuzu truck) ..We are expecting this to INCREASE to 30-35% when fully tuned..

That's pretty amazing. Do you have any theory as to why everyone doesn't do it?

[craysus]

None at all.... I have used it before without issues.... Major things to be wary of are fairly simple.... Eg if injecting pre turbo you WILL wear compressor vanes over time.... And it's not needed to inject there for economy..
Also obviously if you tune for water and the system fails or you run out of water it's not good.... But similarly running out of diesel ain't such a good idea either..
In cold climates freezing can be an issue..
In hard water areas you have to use processed water.... And with bottled water 3 times more expensive than diesel it's a turn off...

Probably few more things.. And of course fear of the unknown... Lots of people will be worried injecting water into a diesel as they k ow how bad it is if it's in the diesel fuel tank..