Stowable Rectangular Pontoon Trailer Skirts for Drag Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tractor-trailer combinations experience excessive aerodynamic drag due to turbulent airflow under the trailer, leading to increased fuel consumption and NOx emissions, which existing side skirts fail to adequately address.
Innovation Solution
A stowable side fairing system with rotatable panels and an actuator that can be deployed and stowed, improving airflow under the trailer by forming a quadrilateral structure with closeout panels and providing additional clearance to prevent impact with obstacles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional fixed side skirts are used, then aerodynamic drag is reduced, but the trailer cannot adapt to different operating conditions and may impact obstacles
Solution Approach 1:
The side skirt is transformed from a fixed structure to a dynamic, movable structure that can be deployed or stowed based on operating conditions. The skirt panels are mounted on rotatable mechanisms allowing them to be positioned vertically for aerodynamic efficiency during highway travel, or retracted horizontally to avoid obstacles and adapt to different road conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The side skirt is divided into multiple segmented panels that can be independently controlled. Each panel can be deployed or stowed separately, allowing the system to adapt to various conditions along the trailer's length and providing flexibility in responding to different operating scenarios.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If fixed side skirts are deployed continuously, then aerodynamic performance is improved, but the risk of impact with obstacles increases
Solution Approach 1:
The side skirt system incorporates dynamic deployment and retraction capabilities, allowing it to be in a deployed position for aerodynamic efficiency during normal highway travel, and retracted to a safe position when obstacles are detected or when turning at low speeds, thereby eliminating the risk of continuous impact.
Solution Approach 2:
The system can be proactively retracted before potential obstacle contact occurs, such as when approaching known hazards, during low-speed maneuvers, or when environmental conditions suggest potential risks, preventing impact before it happens.
3Adaptability or versatility
If stowable side fairings with actuators are used, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
While the system is dynamic, the implementation uses relatively simple rotational mechanisms and actuator systems that can be integrated into the existing trailer structure. The rotatable mounts and actuator linkages are designed to be mechanically straightforward, avoiding overly complex mechanisms while achieving the desired deployable/stowable functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A stowable side fairing for a tractor-trailer having a frame includes first and second panels rotatably coupled to the frame and extending downward from the frame. A cross-member is rotatably coupled at a first end to the first panel and at a second end to the second panel. The side fairing further includes a drive arm rotatably coupled at a first end to the frame and at a second end to the cross-member. An actuator is configured to rotate the drive arm about the first end to move the side fairing between a deployed position and a stowed position.