Investigation of Slipstreaming Effect between a Semi trailer-truck and a Sedan car
Creators: name: Rubiat Mustak
name: Md.Habib Ullah Khan
name: Md.Mahbubur Rahmen
Publisher: name: figshare
Year: 2018
Subjects: subject: Mechanical Engineering
subject: FOS: Mechanical engineering
subject: FOS: Mechanical engineering
subject: 90101 Aerodynamics (excl. Hypersonic Aerodynamics)

description: <b>Abstract</b>—The study focuses on the slipstreaming effect on an aerodynamic sedan vehicle, trailing a semi-trailer truck on highways. A Subsonic wind tunnel (100×100×100 cm) is used to investigate the effect of slipstreaming. For design purpose, solid works software is used. Wooden models of semi-trailer truck and a sedan car have been constructed. In this experiment, the effect of distance of separation of the vehicles to slipstreaming has been studied and the critical distance is identified. The relative drag during slipstreaming at different velocities of the critical distance has also been addressed. From this investigation it has been observed that slipstreaming is effective at higher velocities of the vehicles under consideration.<i></i><br><b>Index Terms</b>—<i> </i>Drag reduction, Flow separation, Slipstreaming, Trailing vortex, Wake formation.<br>1 Introduction<b><br></b>The reduction of drag has always been the concern of any aerodynamic design.Drag is the force which resist the movement of ground vehicles. Due to drag more effort is needed to move the vehicle and as a result more fuel burnt. If the effect of drag can minimize than it is possible to make the vehicles more economical.Slipstreaming is a way of reducing drag force of a vehicle. Movement of air behind the vehicle is named as slipstream. A lot of strategies have been created to decrease this pressure drag. Pressure drag can be reduced by using spoilers, vortex generators, dimples, flaps etc.Slipstreaming is a new technique for reducing drag force.The use of the slipstream of a main vehicle, and subsequently, lessening the drag of trailing vehicle is named as slip-streaming. Birds when flying uses slipstreaming.They fly in a specific pattern.The bird which is ahead need more physical effort to fly. Cyclist and car racers also utilize slipstreaming effect.In order to give less physical effort they follow each other in a specific pattern.The effect of slipstreaming is of great interest to the young researchers. Slipstreaming can be a great way of saving fuel.Utilization of slipstreaming can make driving cars more economical. People can take advantage of this effect if they can utilize this effect in their day to day life.This article will describe the slipstreaming effct experimentally.The flow around wake of a vehicle is a fascinating marvel and many examinations and investigation were directed for this.Shahrin Hisham Amirnordin et al. (2010) played out an investigation, which concentrates on the drag and lift forces on a hatchback auto trailing a large vehicle. He examined the impact of separation in the drag of a body at a Reynolds number of 3.65x10<sup>5</sup>. He discovered that aerodynamically optimum critical distance was between 4 to 5 m.Martin Bjerling et al. (2011) additionally directed a large eddy simulation (LES) on a vehicle platoon of four boxes. Simulations performed on a static four box platoon and static single box, were compared with the wind tunnel tests.The evaluation of the literature showed that the experimental have a look at of slipstreaming effect on aerodynamic sedan has not been addressed. The present study specializes in the slipstreaming evaluation on aerodynamic sedan, trailing a large semi-trailer truck on highways, i.e. at higher speeds. The effect of main vehicle on the total drag of the trailing car at specific speed of tour has also been addressed.