Title: On the similarity of wind tunnel experiments and numerical simulation of heavy-duty trailer flow

Authors: Dogan Gunes

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Division, Istanbul Technical University, Gumussuyu – 34437 Istanbul, Turkey

Abstract: In this paper, the effect of the wind fairings (model support coverings) on the experimental results of a simplified Tractor/Trailer model is analysed. It is proposed that a separation occurs on the floor behind the vehicle, which results in the experimentally observed large vortex structure. Time-averaged URANS results in 0.1-1.0 s indicate that the RNG k-ε model captures unsteady flow structure, formed by the interaction of the bluff-body wake and the Von Karman vortices behind the cylindrical posts forming the large vortex structure behind the wind tunnel test model. Comparison of average velocity fields and streamline structures indicate agreement with the experimental results.

Keywords: bluff body aerodynamics; heavy duty vehicle trailers; trailer wake; vortex structure; wind tunnel experiments; CFD comparison; computational fluid dynamics; wind fairings; tractor-trailer models; heavy vehicle systems; unsteady flow.

DOI: 10.1504/PCFD.2010.033328

Progress in Computational Fluid Dynamics, An International Journal, 2010 Vol.10 No.3, pp.168 - 176

Published online: 25 May 2010 *

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