A jet-powered rear wheel skirt and method

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of automotive drag reduction technology, and particularly to a jet-type rear wheel arch skirt and method, comprising: a jet module including nozzles and corresponding control valves, wherein the nozzles are arranged on the outer side of the vehicle body above the rear tires and the jet direction of their outlets is vertically downward; a jet control module including a total pressure sensor installed on the lower edge of the rear window, the total pressure sensor monitoring the total pressure status of the rear wall of the vehicle; a pressurized gas storage module including a gas tank for storing pressurized gas, the gas tank being connected to the nozzles through the control valves; and a global control module for acquiring and processing the data from the total pressure sensor, and controlling the on / off state of the gas tank and the nozzles by controlling the on / off state of the control valves. This invention, by using nozzles to spray a small airflow on the outer side of the vehicle body above the rear tires, forms the aerodynamic profile of the wind deflector, which can reduce the aerodynamic drag generated by the impact of wheel arch turbulence on the side airflow and improve the heat dissipation performance of the vehicle tires.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automotive drag reduction technology, and in particular to a rear wheel skirt for a jet-powered vehicle and a method thereof. Background Technology

[0002] With the popularization of new energy vehicles, not only has the new energy battery industry developed, but vehicle body drag reduction optimization technology has also once again received widespread attention.

[0003] Existing vehicle body drag reduction optimization technologies typically utilize side skirts for drag reduction design, such as the Honda Infinity and GM EV1. This structure can reduce the impact of wheel arch turbulence on side airflow. However, because this technology largely covers the tires, it hinders tire removal and maintenance, causing inconvenience for vehicle inspection and negatively impacting the heat dissipation performance of the wheels and brake pads. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a jet-type rear wheel arch skirt for automobiles. By using nozzles to spray a small amount of airflow onto the outer side of the vehicle body above the rear tires, a microscopic airflow is formed, creating an aerodynamic profile for the wind deflector. This reduces aerodynamic drag caused by turbulent airflow impacting the wheel arches and the side airflow, and also improves the heat dissipation performance of the vehicle tires. To achieve the above objective, this invention provides the following technical solution:

[0005] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a jet-type rear wheel skirt for automobiles, comprising:

[0006] The jet module includes a nozzle and a corresponding control valve. The nozzle is located on the outer side of the vehicle body above the rear tires and the jet direction of its outlet is vertically downward.

[0007] The jet control module includes a total pressure sensor mounted on the lower edge of the rear window, which monitors the total pressure condition of the rear wall of the vehicle.

[0008] A pressurized gas storage module includes a gas storage tank for storing pressurized gas, the gas storage tank being connected to the nozzle via the control valve;

[0009] The global control module is used to collect and process the total pressure sensor data, and control the connection between the gas storage tank and the nozzle by controlling the opening and closing of the control valve.

[0010] As a further technical solution, the global control module includes a signal acquisition device, a processor, and a signal output device. The signal acquisition device acquires data from the total pressure sensor and transmits it to the processor for processing, and outputs control signals through the signal output device.

[0011] As a further technical solution, the global control module is connected to the pressurized gas storage module to control the pressure inside the gas storage tank.

[0012] As a further technical solution, the gas storage tank is equipped with an air pump, and the gas storage tank is equipped with a total pressure sensor for monitoring the pressure inside the tank; the total pressure sensor is connected to the signal acquisition device, and the air pump is connected to the signal output device to form a pressure regulation closed loop.

[0013] As a further technical solution, the opening degree of the control valve can be infinitely adjusted.

[0014] As a further technical solution, the nozzle length is equal to the diameter of the rear tire, and the nozzle outlet surface is flush with the lower edge of the rear fender of the vehicle body.

[0015] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a method for operating a jet-powered rear wheel skirt according to the first aspect, comprising the following steps:

[0016] The global control module collects and processes data from the total pressure sensor. When the total pressure on the rear wall of the vehicle meets the conditions, the booster gas storage module is activated. When the pressure in the gas storage tank reaches the set value, the control valve in the jet module is activated, the gas storage tank is connected to the nozzle, and the nozzle starts to work.

[0017] As a further technical solution, when the total pressure on the rear wall of the vehicle is detected to be below -50Pa, the booster gas storage module is activated.

[0018] As a further technical solution, if the total pressure of the gas tank is detected to be higher than 1.9 bar, the control valve is activated directly; if the total pressure of the gas tank is detected to be between 1.5 and 1.9 bar, the air pump is turned on while the control valve is activated to bring the total pressure of the gas tank to 1.9 bar; if the total pressure is detected to be lower than 1.5 bar, the air pump is turned on to bring the total pressure of the gas tank to 1.5 bar, and the output signal is activated to activate the control valve. At this time, the air pump continues to work until the total pressure of the gas tank reaches 1.9 bar.

[0019] As a further technical solution, the total pressure sensor signal from the rear wall of the vehicle is received in real time through the global control module, and the opening of the control valve is adjusted in real time to ensure that the airflow speed at the nozzle outlet is stable at the set value.

[0020] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0021] 1. The nozzles provided in this invention spray a small amount of airflow onto the outer side of the vehicle body above the rear tires to form an aerodynamic profile of a wind deflector. This reduces the aerodynamic drag caused by the impact of wheel arch turbulence on the side airflow and improves the heat dissipation performance of the vehicle tires.

[0022] 2. Considering that reducing vehicle drag is a crucial means to further improve the driving range of electric vehicles, previous automotive skirt structures not only negatively impacted tire removal and heat dissipation but also increased overall vehicle drag at low speeds. This invention adaptively adjusts airflow injection speeds under varying rear wall negative pressure conditions, creating different aerodynamic skirt profiles. This achieves optimal drag reduction for the tire skirt under different drag conditions, further reducing tire aerodynamic drag at different speeds.

[0023] 3. After the module of the present invention is turned on, the signal acquisition device further receives the signal from the total pressure sensor in the tank and transmits it to the processor. If the total pressure in the tank is lower than the set value, the output signal is turned on to start the air pump, and the high-pressure air enters the air storage tank through the first air supply pipe. When the total pressure in the air storage tank reaches the set value, the control valve of the jet module of the pneumatic skirt is activated. By monitoring the signal of the total pressure sensor on the rear wall of the jet control module, the opening of the control valve is adjusted in real time to ensure that the airflow speed at the nozzle outlet is at the set value under the resistance condition. Attached Figure Description

[0024] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute a limitation thereof. It should also be understood that these drawings are for simplicity and clarity and are not necessarily drawn to scale. The invention will now be described and explained with additional features and details using the drawings, wherein:

[0025] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the rear wheel skirt structure of a jet-powered automobile is shown in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing the installation position of the rear wheel skirt of a jet-powered vehicle in an embodiment of the present invention is provided.

[0027] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the global control module for the rear wheel skirt of a jet-powered car is shown in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] In the diagram: 1. Signal acquisition device; 2. Total pressure sensor; 3. Processor; 4. Signal output device; 5. Total pressure sensor inside the tank; 6. Control valve; 7. Air pump; 8. First gas delivery pipe; 9. Gas storage tank; 10. Nozzle; 11. Second gas delivery pipe. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The technical solutions in typical embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0030] Example 1

[0031] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, this embodiment provides a jet-type rear wheel skirt for automobiles, including a jet module, a jet control module, a pressurization and storage module, and a global control module.

[0032] The jet module includes nozzles 10 and corresponding control valves 6. Nozzles 10 are positioned on the outer side of the vehicle body above the rear tires. Since there are two rear wheels, two nozzles 10 are required, each positioned on the outer side of the vehicle body above one of the rear tires. In this embodiment, nozzles 10 are slit nozzles. The inlet-outlet area ratio of the slit nozzle is 4, meaning the ratio of the outlet area of ​​the slit nozzle to the cross-sectional area of ​​the air supply pipe is 4. The nozzle width, i.e., the slit width, is 10mm, and the length is equal to the diameter of the rear tire. The nozzle outlet surface is flush with the lower edge of the rear fender, achieving a concealed installation. The nozzle outlet surface, flush with the outer edge of the wheel arch, has a vertically downward jet direction, forming an air curtain.

[0033] The nozzle 10 in this embodiment sprays a small airflow on the outer side of the vehicle body above the rear tires to form an aerodynamic profile of a wind deflector. This can reduce the aerodynamic drag caused by the turbulent airflow from the wheel arches impacting the airflow on the side of the vehicle, and also improve the heat dissipation performance of the vehicle tires.

[0034] The nozzle 10 is equipped with a control valve 6, which is located between the nozzle 10 and the pressurized gas storage module. The opening of the control valve 6 can be infinitely adjusted to ensure that the nozzle 10 produces a jet at a specified speed.

[0035] The jet control module includes a total pressure sensor 2 installed at the lower edge of the rear window. The total pressure sensor 2 monitors the total pressure on the rear wall of the vehicle. In this embodiment, the total pressure sensor 2 is a flat strip. The negative pressure on the rear wall of the vehicle changes significantly with vehicle speed, effectively reflecting the drag at different speeds. The total pressure sensor 2 monitors the total pressure on the rear wall of the vehicle. As the vehicle's drag increases, the total pressure monitored by the total pressure sensor 2 decreases, and the data is transmitted to the global control module to adjust the opening of the control valve in the jet module, thereby increasing the jet speed.

[0036] The pressurized gas storage module consists of an air pump 7, a first gas supply pipe 8, a gas storage tank 9, and an internal total pressure sensor 5. The gas storage tank 9 stores pressurized gas and is connected to the nozzle 10 via a control valve 6. In this embodiment, the air pump 7 provides a high-pressure gas source with a maximum boost ratio of 2, resulting in low energy consumption and minimal impact on the vehicle's driving range. The first gas supply pipe 8 connects the air pump 7 to the gas storage tank 9. The gas storage tank 9 has a volume of 3L, and the internal total pressure sensor 5 is located inside the tank to monitor the total gas pressure in real time.

[0037] The gas storage tank 9 is connected to the nozzle 10 via a second gas supply pipe 11, and the control valve 6 is installed in the middle of the second gas supply pipe 11. Both the first gas supply pipe 8 and the second gas supply pipe 11 are flexible gas supply hoses.

[0038] The global control module is used to collect and process data from the total pressure sensor 2, and to control the opening and closing of the gas storage tank 9 and the nozzle 10 by controlling the opening and closing of the control valve 6.

[0039] The global control module includes a signal acquisition device 1, a processor 3, and a signal output device 4. The signal acquisition device 1 acquires data from the total pressure sensor 2 and transmits it to the processor 3 for processing. The instructions issued by the processor 3 are output as control signals to each component through the signal output device 4.

[0040] The global control module is connected to the pressurized gas storage module to control the pressure inside the gas storage tank 9. The total pressure sensor 5 inside the tank is connected to the signal acquisition device 1, and the air pump 7 is connected to the signal output device 4 to form a pressure regulation closed loop.

[0041] To enhance the safety performance of the device, the air pump 7 stops working when the total pressure in the air tank 9 reaches 1.9 bar; and the air pump 7 is reactivated when the total pressure in the air tank 9 is lower than 1.5 bar.

[0042] Before the device is activated, the total pressure sensor 2 operates in real time. The signal acquisition device 1 only receives the pressure signal from the total pressure sensor 2 on the rear wall of the vehicle and transmits it to the processor 3. When the total pressure on the rear wall of the vehicle is above -50Pa, the core components of the jet-type rear wheel skirt do not operate. Only the signal acquisition device 1 of the global control module acquires the signal from the rear wall total pressure sensor 2 in real time and transmits it to the processor 3, but the signal output device 4 has no output signal. If the total pressure is less than -50Pa, the output signal activates the jet module and the pressurized air storage module. When the total pressure on the rear wall of the vehicle recovers to above -50Pa, the processor 3 sends a signal to stop the operation of the jet module and the pressurized air storage module.

[0043] After the module is turned on, the signal acquisition device 1 further receives the signal from the total pressure sensor 5 inside the tank and transmits it to the processor 3. If the total pressure inside the tank is lower than 1.5 bar, the output signal is turned on to start the air pump 7, and the high-pressure air enters the air storage tank 9 through the first air supply pipe 8. When the total pressure inside the air storage tank 9 reaches 1.5 bar, the control valve 6 of the jet module of the pneumatic skirt is activated. By monitoring the signal of the total pressure sensor 2 on the rear wall of the jet control module, the opening of the control valve 6 is adjusted in real time to ensure that the airflow velocity at the nozzle 10 outlet is at the set value under the resistance condition.

[0044] Example 2

[0045] This embodiment provides a method for operating the rear wheel skirt of a jet-powered car according to Embodiment 1, such as... Figure 3 As shown, it includes the following steps:

[0046] The global control module collects and processes data from the total pressure sensor 2. When the total pressure of the rear wall of the vehicle meets the conditions, i.e., the total pressure of the rear wall of the vehicle is less than -50Pa, the output signal activates the jet module and the pressurized air storage module.

[0047] Activate the pressurized air storage module. When the pressure inside the air storage tank 9 reaches the set value, activate the control valve 6 in the jet module. The air storage tank 9 is connected to the nozzle 10, and the nozzle 10 starts to work.

[0048] If the signal acquisition device 1 detects that the total pressure of the gas tank 9 is higher than 1.9 bar, the processor 3 will output a signal to directly activate the control valve 6; if the total pressure of the gas tank 9 is detected to be between 1.5 and 1.9 bar, the processor 3 will output a signal to activate the control valve 6 and simultaneously start the air pump 7 to bring the total pressure of the gas tank 9 to 1.9 bar; if the total pressure is detected to be lower than 1.5 bar, the processor 3 will output a signal to start the air pump 7 to bring the total pressure of the gas tank 9 to 1.5 bar, and then output a signal to activate the control valve 6. At this time, the air pump 7 will continue to work until the total pressure of the gas tank 9 reaches 1.9 bar.

[0049] The global control module receives the signal from the total pressure sensor 2 on the rear wall of the vehicle in real time and adjusts the opening of the control valve 6 in real time to ensure that the airflow speed at the nozzle 10 outlet is stable at the set value.

[0050] Considering that reducing vehicle drag is a crucial means to further improve the driving range of electric vehicles, previous car skirt structures not only negatively impacted tire removal and heat dissipation but also increased overall vehicle drag at low speeds. Under different rear wall negative pressure conditions, different airflow injection velocities can be adaptively adjusted to create different skirt aerodynamic profiles, thereby achieving optimal drag reduction for the tire skirt under varying drag conditions.

[0051] Under different total pressure conditions on the rear wall of the vehicle, the set value of the nozzle 10 outlet speed is different. Numerous numerical simulations show that the drag reduction efficiency is the highest when the jet speed is approximately equal to the driving speed. However, excessively high jet speed means greater energy consumption. Therefore, in this embodiment, the jet speed is set to 90% of the driving speed. This embodiment does not monitor the vehicle speed, but the vehicle speed is closely related to the total pressure on the rear wall. The jet speed can be adjusted according to different total pressure values.

[0052] To ensure high jet drag reduction efficiency, the jet velocity is set to 12 m / s when the total pressure reaches -50 Pa. The signal from the total pressure sensor 2 on the rear wall of the vehicle is received in real time by the signal acquisition device 1, and the opening of the control valve 6 is adjusted in real time to ensure that the airflow velocity at the nozzle outlet is stable at 12 m / s.

[0053] As the total pressure on the rear wall of the vehicle gradually decreases to -80Pa, -110Pa, and -140Pa, the corresponding airflow velocities at the nozzle 10 outlet stabilize at 18m / s, 24m / s, and 30m / s, respectively. Verification shows that when the vehicle speed is within the range of 60–120 km / h, the drag coefficient can be reduced by approximately 2–4%.

[0054] Although the present invention has been disclosed above with reference to preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art can make possible changes and modifications to the technical solutions of the present invention by utilizing the methods and techniques disclosed above without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, any simple modifications, equivalent changes and alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention without departing from the content of the technical solutions of the present invention shall fall within the protection scope of the technical solutions of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for operating a jet-powered rear wheel skirt, characterized in that, Jet-powered car rear wheel skirts include: The jet module includes a nozzle and a corresponding control valve. The nozzle is located on the outer side of the vehicle body above the rear tires and the jet direction of its outlet is vertically downward. The jet control module includes a total pressure sensor mounted on the lower edge of the rear window, which monitors the total pressure condition of the rear wall of the vehicle. A pressurized gas storage module includes a gas storage tank for storing pressurized gas, the gas storage tank being connected to the nozzle via the control valve; The global control module is used to collect and process the total pressure sensor data, and control the connection between the gas storage tank and the nozzle by controlling the opening and closing of the control valve; The global control module collects and processes the total pressure sensor data. When the total pressure on the rear wall of the vehicle meets the conditions, the booster gas storage module is activated. When the pressure in the gas storage tank reaches the set value, the control valve in the jet module is activated, the gas storage tank is connected to the nozzle, and the nozzle starts to work. When the total pressure on the rear wall of the vehicle is detected to be below -50Pa, the booster gas storage module is activated. The global control module receives the total pressure sensor signal from the rear wall of the vehicle in real time and adjusts the opening of the control valve in real time to ensure that the airflow speed at the nozzle outlet is stable at the set value.

2. The working method of a jet-powered automobile rear wheel skirt as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The global control module includes a signal acquisition device, a processor, and a signal output device. The signal acquisition device acquires data from the total pressure sensor and transmits it to the processor for processing, and outputs control signals through the signal output device.

3. The method for operating a jet-powered automobile rear wheel skirt as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The global control module is connected to the pressurized gas storage module to control the pressure inside the gas storage tank.

4. The method for operating a jet-powered automobile rear wheel skirt as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The gas storage tank is equipped with an air pump, and the gas storage tank is equipped with a total pressure sensor for monitoring the pressure inside the tank; the total pressure sensor is connected to the signal acquisition device, and the air pump is connected to the signal output device to form a pressure regulation closed loop.

5. The working method of a jet-powered automobile rear wheel skirt as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The opening degree of the control valve can be infinitely adjusted.

6. The method for operating a jet-powered automobile rear wheel skirt as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The nozzle length is equal to the diameter of the rear tire, and the nozzle outlet surface is flush with the lower edge of the rear fender of the vehicle body.

7. The method for operating a jet-powered rear wheel skirt as described in claim 1, wherein if the total pressure of the air tank is detected to be higher than 1.9 bar, the control valve is directly activated; if the total pressure of the air tank is detected to be between 1.5 and 1.9 bar, the air pump is turned on while the control valve is activated to bring the total pressure of the air tank to 1.9 bar; if the total pressure is detected to be lower than 1.5 bar, the air pump is turned on to bring the total pressure of the air tank to 1.5 bar, and a signal is output to activate the control valve. At this time, the air pump continues to work until the total pressure of the air tank reaches 1.9 bar.

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