AERODYNAMIC THEORY & RESEARCH ARTICLES

AERODYNAMICS THEORY & RESEARCH ARICLES

The Advantages of Fitting Aerodynamics

BRIEF HISTORY OF DEVELOPMENT OF TRUCK AERODYNAMICS & CURRENT RESEARCH ARTICLES

Fuel and Cost Savings: Aerodynamic features, such as roof-mounted fairings, side skirts, and other accessories, help reduce drag and improve the truck’s overall aerodynamic efficiency. By minimizing air resistance, trucks use less energy exponentially when moving at high speeds. This results in significant fuel savings, as the engine doesn’t have to work as hard to maintain the desired speed. Reduced fuel consumption translates into lower operating costs, making aerodynamics a valuable investment for truck owners and fleet operators.
Improved Power and Performance: Aerodynamic enhancements positively impact a truck’s power and performance. By reducing drag, trucks can achieve and maintain higher speeds more efficiently. This is particularly advantageous for long-distance trucks that frequently operate on highways. Improved aerodynamics also help trucks maintain speed while climbing inclines, leading to enhanced overall performance.
Enhanced Safety: Aerodynamic modifications contribute to increased safety for both the truck driver and other road users. The reduction in drag and improved stability enhance the truck’s handling, particularly in crosswinds or during passing manoeuvres. This minimizes the risk of accidents caused by uncontrolled swaying or loss of control. Additionally, features like side skirts can prevent debris from being thrown up from the tires, reducing the possibility of damage to other vehicles and enhancing road safety.
Image: Installing aerodynamic components can give trucks a sleek and professional appearance. This can be especially important for businesses that rely on their fleet vehicles for branding and marketing purposes. Well-designed aerodynamic additions not only improve the truck’s performance but also contribute to a more aesthetically pleasing and modern look, which can positively impact the company’s image and reputation.

It’s important to note that the extent of the benefits depends on the specific aerodynamic modifications implemented and the operating conditions of the truck. Additionally, it’s crucial to consider the initial cost of installing these features and balance it against the anticipated long-term savings and advantages.

Overall, the core benefits of installing aerodynamics on trucks encompass fuel and cost savings, improved power and performance, enhanced safety, and an appealing appearance. These advantages make aerodynamic modifications a wise investment for truck owners and fleet operators, offering long-term benefits for both their bottom line and operational efficiency.

Yet when one considers that Aerodynamic Drag is the cause for more than two-thirds of the fuel consumption of large trucks at highway speeds it seems strange that real attention to ways of achieving fuel savings and the role played by aerodynamics only began with the fuel crisis in 1980. With the Middle East war and resulting shortages of oil it became apparent that considerably more research needed to be done in order to reduce the cost to the operator of moving goods over hundreds of kilometres.

Today’s aerodynamic options available on the market range from relatively simplistic to the highly complex and with varying results in terms of fuel saving outcomes that can be expected. The science continues to evolve now with rear fitted boat-tails gaining wider acceptance in Europe.

Fitting the correct aerodynamic configuration will save the operator between 8% and 12.5% on his diesel bills and on long distance vehicles a roof-mounted aerokit will generally pay for itself within 4 to 8 months (mileage and speed dependent).

The following two graphs illustrate how aerodynamics serve to streamline the wind up and over the truck so that instead of driving a solid ‘brick’ into the air resistance (This is illustrated by the Green bar and which uses up to 50% of the vehicle’s power) there is far less resistance and consequently less fuel needs to be used.

Below the graphics we have listed several excellent technical articles which give in-depth information on how the various truck aerodynamic options available work.

BRIEF HISTORY OF DEVELOPMENT OF TRUCK AERODYNAMICS & CURRENT RESEARCH ARTICLES

Development of aerodynamics for commercial vehicles has evolved over many years. In 1935 the Labatt Brewing Company developed a streamlined ‘fish shape’ truck for advertising purposes and to provide larger load capacity capable of achieving higher cruising speeds. The success of this effort is demonstrated by the fact that while trucks of the day travelled at 55 km/h, the Labatt truck could cruise at 80 km/h with a fifty percent larger load. Little interest appears to have developed from this early start.

Yet when one considers that Aerodynamic Drag is the cause for more than two-thirds of the fuel consumption of large trucks at highway speeds it seems strange that real attention to ways of achieving fuel savings and the role played by aerodynamics only began with the fuel crisis in 1980. With the Middle East war and resulting shortages of oil it became apparent that considerably more research needed to be done in order to reduce the cost to the operator of moving goods over hundreds of kilometres.

Today’s aerodynamic options available on the market range from relatively simplistic to the highly complex and with varying results in terms of fuel saving outcomes that can be expected. The science continues to evolve now with rear fitted boat-tails gaining wider acceptance in Europe.

Fitting the correct aerodynamic configuration will save the operator between 8% and 12.5% on his diesel bills and on long distance vehicles a roof-mounted aerokit will generally pay for itself within 4 to 8 months (mileage and speed dependent).

The following two graphs illustrate how aerodynamics serve to streamline the wind up and over the truck so that instead of driving a solid ‘brick’ into the air resistance (This is illustrated by the Green bar and which uses up to 50% of the vehicle’s power) there is far less resistance and consequently less fuel needs to be used.

Below the graphics we have listed several excellent technical articles which give in-depth information on how the various truck aerodynamic options available work.

Below the graphics we have listed several excellent technical articles which give in-depth information on how the various truck aerodynamic options available work.