Numerical Analysis of Aeroacoustic Phenomena Generated by Heterogeneous Column of Vehicles

Abstract

The last decade has seen an exponential interest in conventional and unconventional energy issues. This trend has also extended to road transport issues and is driven by expectations to minimize fuel and/or energy consumption and negative environmental impact. In the global literature, much attention is focused on the work of autonomous transport, both passenger and trucks, and on the phenomena of platooning. The paper presents original aerodynamic and aeroacoustic tests of heterogeneous vehicle columns. In the work, models of a car, a van and a truck were built, followed by heterogeneous columns with different distances between the vehicles. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods and two turbulence models, k−ω shear stress transport (SST) and large eddy simulation (LES), were used in this study. The study enabled the determination of drag coefficients and lift force. Application of the Ffowcs Williams–Hawkings (FW-H) analogy allowed for the determination of the distributions of sound pressure levels generated by moving vehicles and columns of vehicles. In order to verify the developed models, acoustic field measurements were made for the following passages: passenger car, van, and truck. Acoustic pressure level and A-weighted sound level (SPL) were measured in Krakow and in its vicinity. Research has shown that grouping vehicles into optimal columns and maintaining distances between vehicles using modern control systems can result in significant energy savings and reduce harmful emissions to the environment.

Bio-Model Selection, Processing and Results for Bio-Inspired Truck Streamlining

“…Our study was principally similar to other truck aerodynamics studies using CFD at varying CFD-parameters applied at Re = 10 6 [38][39][40][41]43,44,49,53,54]. Our CFD study may additionally indicate potential benefits from the bio-inspired design process.…”

“…For the CFD analysis, incompressible flow was simulated with a Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) turbulence model at k-ε settings [ 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 ]. The initial condition is static (velocity = zero), with a uniform pressure comparing the inlet with the outlet.…”

“…The type of mesh used was triangle elements on the surface of the truck and for the boundaries, and a tetrahedral mesh in the space between the truck and the boundaries (see Figure 14 a). These mesh settings have been used in several other studies to simulate a vehicle rolling over a ground surface [ 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 43 , 44 , 49 ]. To test for mesh coarseness, simulations were performed using two different element sizes, comparing the truck’s total drag force and the net drag coefficient.…”

Numerical Simulation Study of Aerodynamic Noise in High-Rise Buildings

“…Aihara, Aya, et al [10] investigated the numerical prediction of aerodynamic noise of a vertical axis wind turbine using large-eddy simulation and acoustic analogy and validated their work by comparing it with measured results. Hamiga, W. M. et al [11] used computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods and two turbulence models, namely k-omega shear stress transport (SST) and large-eddy simulation (LES), to determine drag coefficients and lift forces. The Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings (FW-H) analogy was then applied to determine the distribution of sound pressure levels generated by moving vehicles and vehicle columns.…”