Aerodynamic Drag Reduction for a Generic Truck Using Geometrically Optimized Rear Cabin Bumps

Abstract EN

The continuous surge in gas prices has raised major concerns about vehicle fuel efficiency, and drag reduction devices offer a promising strategy.

In this paper, we investigate the mechanisms by which geometrically optimized bumps, placed on the rear end of the cabin roof of a generic truck, reduce aerodynamic drag.

The incorporation of these devices requires proper choices of the size, location, and overall geometry.

In the following analysis we identify these factors using a novel methodology.

The numerical technique combines automatic modeling of the add-ons, computational fluid dynamics and optimization using orthogonal arrays, and probabilistic restarts.

Numerical results showed reduction in aerodynamic drag between 6% and 10%.