Title: A wind tunnel investigation of mud deposits on the body of a bus

Authors: T. Lajos, L. Preszler, L. Finta

Addresses: Associate Professor, Chief Researcher, Department of Fluid Mechanics, Technical University of Budapest, Hungary. ' Head of the Design Studio, IKARUS Body and Coach Building Works, Budapest, Hungary. ' Head of the Design Studio, IKARUS Body and Coach Building Works, Budapest, Hungary

Abstract: Mud and dust deposits on bus bodies pose a danger to traffic and spoil the appearance of the vehicle. Of the three phases of the soiling process - dispersal, transport and separation of particles - it is mainly the transport phase that can be influenced by controlling the aerodynamic flow field in such away that the mud or dust laden air avoids the protected areas or the body. Wind tunnel investigations have been carried out to determine the influence of several geometrical parameters an the surface deposits. Two methods have been developed and have proved to yield quantitative results. Simulation of the road by means of a moving bell has had a significant effect on surface deposits. The rear wall deposits depend mainly on the structure of the wake and the characteristics of the underbody now. Both can be affected beneficially by the shape or the bus body.

Keywords: base drag; bus modelling; ground simulation; mud deposits; dust deposits; Reynolds number effect; vehicle aerodynamics; wake flow; wind tunnel testing; buses.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVD.1984.061118

International Journal of Vehicle Design, 1984 Vol.5 No.6, pp.693 - 703

Published online: 25 May 2014 *

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