Technologies and Approaches to Reducing the Fuel Consumption of Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles (2010)
Chapter: Appendix F: Details of Aerodynamic Trailer Device Technology
F
Details of Aerodynamic Trailer Device Technology
Tables F-1 through F-3 report results from a collection of suppliers that provided trailer aerodynamic device results in more detail for trailer skirts, trailer base devices, and trailer face devices, three of the areas identified in Figure 5-9 (Chapter 5) as prime for aerodynamic device improvement in tractor-trailer combination trucks. These data are principally those returned by nine manufacturers responding to a committee questionnaire. Those responses were supplemented by information from the Web sites of four other manufacturers.
Interestingly, these most recent data on reduction of fuel consumption received from developers/manufacturers for trailer skirts (Table F-1) substantially group around 7 percent.
TABLE F-1 Trailer Skirt Information from Manufacturers
|
Item |
Manufacturer |
Qualified for SmartWay (Y/N) |
Fuel Consumption Reduction (gal/mile) (%) |
Evaluation Method (provide details) |
Weight to Equip 53-ft Trailer, (lb) |
Retail Price Equivalent for One Trailer (US$) |
Estimated Annual Maintenance Cost (USD) |
Other Useful Information |
|
1 |
Laydon |
Y |
6 |
J1321 |
300 |
1,900 |
0 |
Very flexible meeting systems |
|
2 |
FreightWing |
Y |
7 |
J1321, 62 mph |
160 |
1,599 |
$50 |
Impact resistant; small road clearance |
|
3 |
AdamWorks |
Y |
7 |
self truck test |
<200 |
2,400 |
$400 |
Automatically deploys to 6-inch ground clearance |
|
4 |
TransTexa |
7.4 |
J1321, 61 mph |
|||||
|
5 |
Windynea |
Y |
6.9 |
J1321 |
Improved handling in side winds |
|||
|
6 |
ATDynamics |
Y |
7.4 |
J1321, 60 mph |
175 |
2,200 |
0 |
Reduced road spray, 5-year warranty |
|
7 |
Wabash |
Y |
5.6 |
J1321, 65 mph |
250 |
1,625 |
0 |
12-inch ground clearance |
|
aCommittee questionnaire not responded to. |
||||||||
TABLE F-2 Trailer Base Device Information from Manufacturers
|
Item |
Manufacturer |
Qualified for SmartWay (Y/N) |
Fuel Consumption Reduction (gal/mile) (%) |
Evaluation Method |
Weight to Equip 53-ft Trailer (lb) |
Retail Price Equivalent for One Trailer (US$) |
Estimated Annual Maintenance Cost (US%) |
Other Useful Information |
|
1 |
ATDynamics boat tail |
Y |
5.1 |
J1321, 62 mph |
175 |
2,800 |
0 |
Folds flat in 6 sec; improves stability |
|
2 |
AeroTrailerSysa inflatable tail |
3 |
Automatically deploys |
|||||
|
3 |
TransTexa boat tail |
2.9 |
Reduces road spray |
|||||
|
4 |
AirTab vortex generators |
N |
2-3 |
Truck test, 47 mph |
1 |
220 |
0 |
Reduces road spray |
|
aCommittee questionnaire not responded to. SOURCE: Data from responses to committee questionnaire and from manufacturers’ websites. |
||||||||
TABLE F-3 Trailer Face Device Information from Manufacturers
|
Item |
Manufacturer |
Qualified for SmartWay (Y/N) |
Fuel Consumption Reduction (gal/mile) (%) |
Evaluation Method |
Weight to Equip 53-ft Trailer (lb) |
Retail Price Equivalent for One Trailer (US$) |
Estimated Annual Maintenance Cost (USD) |
Other Useful Information |
|
1 |
Laydon Vortex Stabilizer |
N |
1 |
J1321 |
40 |
495 |
0 |
Better performance in yaw |
|
2 |
Laydon Nose Fairing |
Y |
2 |
J1321 |
95 |
795 |
0 |
No tractor interference |
|
3 |
FreightWing Gap Fairing |
Y |
2 |
J1321, 65 mph |
75 |
849 |
$50 |
Better performance with low aerodynamic tractor |
|
4 |
NoseCone Eyebrow |
Y? |
>3 |
J1321? |
30 |
— |
— |
For high tractor roof fairing |
|
5 |
NoseCone |
Y? |
>4 |
J1321? |
75 |
1,264 |
$35 |
No yaw effect in J1321 |
