New Research On Truck Trailers By Georgia Tech Yeilds New Fuel Efficency Technology

The impact of fuel costs on the trucking industry has researchers and truck designers working to make trucks sleeker and develop new fuel-saving technologies.

Since the high cost of fuel is passed on to the consumer in the form of higher prices, developments in aerodynamic truck technologies affect more than trucking companies and driver.

The Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) homepage features news on research using pressurized air “active flow control” techniques to increase truck fuel efficiency by 8 to 12 percent.

According to the George Tech Research Institute, research is also being conducted on GTRI low-drag active flow control aerodynamic technologies, developed with support from the U.S. Department of Energy nearly a decade ago.

Truck aerodynamics have improved thanks to attachments like roof fairings, but these improvements do little to affect the wind resistance of trailers.

One streamlining technique GTRI researchers are working on is pneumatic devices to push air over curved surfaces on the backs of trailers. The jets of air smooth out the angular shape of trailers and reduce drag.

According to a report by the Associated Press, a test track run using the GTRI system increased fuel efficiency by 12 percent. That might not sound like a huge increase, but fleet trucks often travel thousands of miles. That 12 percent adds up in the shadow of 5 dollars a gallon diesel fuel costs.

Source Georgia Tech Research Institute and Associated Press

Testing By NavStar Shows ProStar Is Most Aerodynamic And Fuel-Efficient Class8 Truck On Road

NavStar is proud of the International ProStar truck and new test results showing the it is the most aerodynamic and fuel-efficient Class 8 truck on the road.

NavStar is so proud that they took out an ad in Times Square: the place in New York City usually reserved for billboards of supermodels and blockbuster Hollywood.

According to NavStar...

Record diesel prices are driving on-highway trucking customers to look for every edge to curb fuel costs, beginning with their choice of truck. Navistar today released definitive results of extensive testing confirming that the International ProStar is the most aerodynamic and fuel-efficient Class 8 truck on the road.

Recent tests demonstrate that the International ProStar is 7.3 percent more aerodynamic and 7 percent more fuel-efficient than Freightliner’s Cascadia, ProStar’s closest competitor. Overcoming aerodynamic resistance is particularly important for on-highway trucks, as is a fuel-efficient power train.

This margin of leadership translates into substantial savings. Whether operated as part of a company’s fleet of trucks or by an owner-operator, Class 8 trucks rack up a lot of highway miles each year consuming large amounts of diesel fuel. At 120,000 miles a year, each ProStar can save approximately $5,800 annually in fuel over its nearest competitor.

“Clear and decisive fuel-economy leadership is great news for our customers,” said Daniel C. Ustian, Navistar chairman, president and chief executive officer. “The ability to save thousands of dollars in fuel with one truck over the course of a year is extremely significant, especially with the financial pressures placed on truck and fleet owners.”

Navistar is leading the industry in conducting and publishing ongoing testing results so its customers can benefit from fuel-economy savings. Both over-the-road and wind tunnel tests use rigorous TMC and SAE testing procedures, regarded as the highest standards of testing in the transportation industry. Wind tunnel tests were conducted at the National Research Council Institute for Aerospace Research in Canada utilizing SAE J1252 wind tunnel testing practices.

Source: NavStar

Fleet managers consider propane as a diesel fuel alternative

With diesel prices rising, companies and government agencies are giving alternative fuels serious consideration. While biodiesel and even cooking oil has been used as truck fuel, another contender is propane.

Could propane make the leap from the backyard grill to your truck's fuel tanks?

VenturaCountyStar.com reports on a recent show held by a liquid-energy company, featuring vehicles powered by propane and experts to answer questions about propane's safety and ease of use.

While propane is cheaper than diesel and emits lower levels of pollution, finding the money to buy new vehicles and infrastructure to maintain propane engines is still a challenge.

Source: VenturaCountyStar.com