Roadway Conduit Air Movers for Aerodynamic Drag Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current transportation methods, including roadways and railways, face significant aerodynamic drag energy losses that increase nonlinearly with velocity, leading to high energy costs and limited range for vehicles, especially for electric vehicles, and existing tunnel construction methods are costly and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
The development of a roadway conduit system that uses precast concrete segments and air movers to reduce aerodynamic drag by moving air within the conduit at the same velocity as vehicles, conserving kinetic energy and reducing energy consumption, while also enabling the construction of long-distance tunnels at a lower cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If vehicles travel at higher velocities on conventional roadways, then transportation efficiency improves, but aerodynamic drag energy losses increase nonlinearly
Solution Approach 1:
The air mover devices dynamically adjust air flow velocity within the conduit to match vehicle velocity, creating a dynamic equilibrium that reduces aerodynamic drag. The system transitions from static air to moving air that adapts to vehicle speed, thereby reducing energy losses at higher velocities while maintaining transportation efficiency
2Length of stationary object
If conventional tunnel construction methods are used, then underground passages can be created, but construction costs are high and construction efficiency is low
Solution Approach 1:
The conduit system is divided into modular precast concrete segments that can be manufactured off-site and assembled on-site. This segmentation enables parallel production of multiple segments, significantly improving construction productivity and reducing overall construction time and cost compared to traditional sequential tunneling methods
Solution Approach 2:
Conduit segments are precast with embedded forms and cables before installation. The precasting process allows for preliminary preparation of structural components, reducing on-site construction time and improving overall construction efficiency while maintaining the required tunnel length
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach significantly reduces energy consumption per mile for vehicles, increases their range, and lowers the cost of constructing and operating the conduit system, making it economically viable for long-distance transportation.
Implementation Method 1
air movers to reduce aerodynamic drag by moving air within the conduit at the same velocity as vehicles, conserving kinetic energy
Data Source
AI summary
A zero-emission, high-speed, autonomously controlled shipping container transport vehicle includes a first camera, a rotatable truck coupled to a plurality of front wheels, a steering motor, and a first flatbed frame. A second flatbed frame is configured to receive a battery module. A third flatbed frame is configured to communicate a load to the rear wheels. An electric battery module is disposed in the space of the second flatbed frame. A traction motor is coupled to at least one front wheel or rear wheel and is configured to derive electrical energy from the electric battery module. A vehicle controller is communicably coupled to the first and second cameras, traction motor, and steering motor, and is configured to operate in an autonomous mode to autonomously direct the traction motor to accelerate or decelerate and direct the steering motor to guide the vehicle.