I am Atif, a PhD student at the University of Huddersfield. I am researching in the field of the aerodynamics of horse trailers and caravans. I have recently researched a device that shows a significant reduction in the drag force and fuel consumption. (Please see attached pictures)
This device will attach at the front of the caravan/trailer and will reduce the turbulent flow between the car and caravan. Rather than making shapes streamlined and compromising on the internal living space, the addition of this device will bring better fuel efficiency without streamlining the caravan shape. However, I have doubts about the regulation if there are any restrictions applied to this device. As you can see from the pictures, the device reduces the gap between car and caravan. Although the gap is still enough to allow free manoeuvre action of the towing car.
However, I have read online that there is a requirement of a minimum gap between the car and caravan, and someone quoted this to be 900mm. I was wondering if anyone here who had experience in this field had knowledge about this limit. Is it true to your knowledge? (I have seen in my last post that there are many experts with years of experience in the Caravan manufacturing and testing industry on this forum)
My first point of discussion is:
1. Is there a limit for the minimum gap length between the car and caravan or the gap should be long enough so that the vehicle does not interfere with the caravan or this device while manoeuvring?
2. I would like to get your feedback on this device. Here are some outstanding benefits of this device:
Better fuel efficiency and longer journeys for electric cars.
Reduced side wind loads and improves the stability of the caravan
Provides front cover to the caravan
What are your major concerns about this device?
What kind of fixing mechanism would you prefer?
Permanently fixed
Detachable with mounting brackets attached to the caravan permanently.
Further detail of this device can be found on this link: http://aerotrailers.co.uk/aerotrek
I am working on the animation of this device and will add it to this link very soon. This link is not for marketing purposes, but it is a part of my PhD work to evaluate market potential for this device.
If you visit this link and, you are interested to reduce fuel consumption and you want to buy this device or want to hear more about this or any future development, please click on the buy now button and leave your email.
I would really appreciate your extra time and efforts if you can fill this quick questionnaire as well. This will provide me with some evidence about the potential customer and design feedback for my thesis. here is the link and it would not take more than 2 minutes:
https://forms.gle/wRrScqbNUBEBH2KV7
I am really looking forward to having a great discussion with you. If you have any questions, please drop them in the comments section. I will try to answer them.
I don’t have a caravan but I’d wonder what to do with the deflector when I was on site. It has to come off the front window, or else it blocks views & light, and access to the gas locker. It looks too big to go under the caravan, especially with the exaggerated curve. It would get in the way in the awning.
You also need to be far more specific about fuel savings: yes, a more aerodynamic shape but possibly offset by a now heavier caravan.
I’ll leave the legal distances to the caravan experts but I’d have hoped DVLA had the official rules about towing like it does about “motor caravans”.
I think I’d need to be covering a huge mileage towing to justify one of these.
It would be better to improve the aerodynamics of the outfit or caravan itself.
There’s the inconvenience of storing the device and fitting it, dismounting it to consider. A two person task? Maybe 3?
I agree with all that has been said so far, and I would be curious about just how much fuel this would save. I have memories of those wind deflectors that people used to mount on the roof of their cars that were supposed to achieve the same end, and they didn't really make much difference, if any.
I can't imagine this device making any more difference than those old ones did, and cost would be a big factor. Unless the device cost just a few pounds, most people would probably take years to recover the outlay.
I think you are right about wind resistance of caravans massively increasing fuel consumption, but I feel a folding caravan is the answer. Top half of caravan is an empty box full of air. This for me would give a much larger fuel saving than a deflector.
As an example, towing a folding camper weighing 500kg and comprising a 6 foot square box 4 feet high gave 43 mpg. A small caravan with the same car gives 30 mpg.
Air flow over the car roof seems to be OK as most modern caravans now have a streamlined front panel. Problem seems to be the low pressure behind the car sucking air down and in behind the car causing massive turbulence low down. This means the space between car and caravan needs filling on roof and sides which I'm not sure is practically possible.
There was a device some 30 years ago which has been taken up on articulated lorries. It's a deflector on the roof of the lorry cab deflecting air up and over the trailer.
Significant fuel saving can be achieved when towing on motorways by picking the appropriate high sided artic and sitting in behind it. You do not have to get to close you can remain a reasonable safe distance and still get the benefit of a slipstream.
Supposed to be fuel saving, but then you have the weight of the device. Not sure how it will reduce side wind pressure as the side of the caravan is like a giant sail? No mention how it is going to be attached to the caravan as awning rails are not built to take that sort of pressure.
Its excellent that this is being researched. It is important to understand that the move from being pitched and fully set up on site, to being ready to depart does require quite a lot of operations. Attaching this device is yet another task, and personally I would rather see a change to the design of the bodyshell.
Any accessory has to have a home on site or back st home, so storage is a significant factor.
My two penneth, and it's only my opinion. Which we all have one!
You are totally wasting your time! You only have to look at the new European caravan manufacturers caravans to see they are all going aerodynamic in shape..Not be long before the uk van makers will follow suit.
You clearly are a very clever person. Put this nonsense aside and design some sort of portable wind turbine for the caravans. Press of a switch, lifts the wind turbine, telescopically, electrically, hay presto free power.
Quote: Originally posted by chrisn7 on 29/4/2021
Its excellent that this is being researched. It is important to understand that the move from being pitched and fully set up on site, to being ready to depart does require quite a lot of operations. Attaching this device is yet another task, and personally I would rather see a change to the design of the bodyshell.
Any accessory has to have a home on site or back st home, so storage is a significant factor.
I agree with all of that but additionally the O/P mentioned fuel saving, which implies money saving. Just how much would this device cost and how much fuel would it save? Would it be cost-effective? Unless the fuel saving was very significant, which I seriously doubt, and/or the cost of the device was next to nothing, it could take decades to pay for itself.
I think the OP is busy doing his PhD; not come back since their first post with all those questions 10 days ago. Hopefully we’ll get a response to our points sometime.
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