Crosswind Thrust Nozzle Assembly for Vehicle Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Crosswind airflows pose significant stability and safety challenges for ground transport vehicles, particularly those with large side areas, leading to sideslip, overturning, and derailment, resulting in accidents and economic losses, as drivers often fail to react in time to mitigate these issues.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of crosswind airflow countering thrust assemblies on transport vehicles, which include a NACA duct inlet, a motive fluid nozzle, a venturi tube, a de Laval nozzle, and an ejection nozzle, redirecting crosswind airflow upward and outward to generate a countering thrust force, stabilizing the vehicle against crosswind forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If drivers reduce vehicle speed and turn into the direction of crosswind airflow to counteract instability, then vehicle stability is improved, but travel time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by detecting crosswind conditions and activating the nozzle assembly to generate countering thrust before the vehicle experiences significant instability or sideslip. This proactive approach allows the vehicle to maintain its course and speed without requiring reactive driver intervention that would waste time
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical steering action (turning the vehicle into the wind) with a pneumatic system (nozzle assembly generating thrust). This substitution allows the vehicle to counteract crosswind forces while maintaining its original trajectory, eliminating the time loss associated with corrective steering maneuvers
2Productivity
If drivers react later to crosswind instability, then vehicle speed and productivity are maintained, but vehicle stability deteriorates leading to accidents
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback through sensors that continuously monitor crosswind conditions and vehicle stability parameters. This real-time feedback enables the control system to activate the nozzle assembly at the optimal moment, maintaining both high vehicle speed and stability by responding immediately to detected crosswind forces
3Stability of the object's composition
If complex nozzle assembly components are added to counter crosswind forces, then vehicle stability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges multiple functions into the nozzle assembly: the venturi tube generates low pressure to draw in motive fluid, the de Laval nozzle accelerates the fluid to supersonic speeds, and the ejection nozzle directs the thrust. By combining these components into an integrated assembly mounted on the vehicle, the system achieves complex aerodynamic functionality while managing overall device complexity through modular design
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
The solution effectively counters crosswind forces, enhancing vehicle stability and safety by reducing the need for driver overcorrection and preventing rollover or tipping, thereby improving handling and reducing accident risks and economic losses.
Implementation Method 1
a venturi tube, a de Laval nozzle, and an ejection nozzle coupled in series from the inlet to the outlet
Implementation Method 2
a de Laval nozzle, and an ejection nozzle coupled in series from the inlet to the outlet
Implementation Method 3
deflecting the diverted airflow outwardly through the outlet as a countering thrust airflow over the exterior top surface of the transport vehicle toward the second side of the transport vehicle for producing a reaction force for at least partially countering the crosswind airflow
Data Source
AI summary
A transport vehicle includes first and second sides, an exterior top surface, an exterior side surface depending downwardly from the exterior top surface at the first side, an inlet juxtaposed to the exterior side surface, an outlet juxtaposed to the exterior top surface, and a nozzle assembly coupled between the inlet and the outlet, the inlet for receiving a portion of a crosswind airflow against the exterior side surface of the transport vehicle and deflecting the portion of the crosswind airflow upwardly into the nozzle assembly as a diverted airflow, the nozzle assembly for routing the diverted airflow upwardly from the inlet toward the outlet and deflecting the diverted airflow outwardly through the outlet as a countering thrust airflow over the exterior top surface toward the second side of the transport vehicle for producing a reaction force for at least partially countering the crosswind airflow.