Aerodynamic Drag Reduction in Commercial Vehicle Using CFD-Based Design Optimisation

Area of Science:

• Engineering
• Fluid Dynamics
• Automotive Design

Background:

• Commercial vehicle aerodynamics, particularly for trucks, are complex and often overlooked compared to passenger cars.
• Trucks experience significant drag due to their bluff body shape, impacting annual fuel consumption.
• Many trucks lack aerodynamic features like frontal wind deflectors, leading to drag accumulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To reduce the drag force on a commercial vehicle through design optimization.
• To enhance the aerodynamic efficiency of trucks using computational fluid dynamics (CFD).
• To provide insights into drag reduction techniques for commercial vehicles.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature review was performed to understand existing drag reduction strategies.
• A scaled-down truck model underwent comprehensive 3D airflow analysis using ANSYS Fluent.
• Iterative geometrical optimizations were applied to the baseline truck model.

Main Results:

• Flow analysis was conducted using various turbulence models and validated against literature data.
• Multiple design optimization models were tested and compared to the baseline.
• An 18% reduction in aerodynamic drag was achieved through effective design alterations.

Conclusions:

• The study presents detailed aerodynamic outcomes for the optimized truck model.
• Findings can assist engineers and researchers in understanding commercial vehicle aerodynamics.
• The research contributes to improving the aerodynamic efficiency of trucks.