Diesel Fuel and Truck Aerodynamics Solutions

Want to save more fuel America? Well then start with the over the road 18-wheeler tractor-trailer rigs. That is right, you see, trucks often get only 4-6 miles per gallon and much of the fuel is consumed over 55 miles per hour as the co-efficient of drag chart goes hyperbolic.

I propose that we design different trailer bodies for all these trucks, which include a squared off cone rear-end. Shaped like a pyramid on its side facing behind the truck trailer. Learn more about truck aerodynamics to continue this conversation;

http://www.nasaexplores.com/show2_articlea.php?id=02-009

By reducing drag drastically we should be able to get 2-4 miles per gallon more off every truck on the road. Accumulatively that is a huge savings of 16.8% of our total diesel usage in our nation. This will also drastically lower prices due to lessening of the volume of demand on the total supply.

How will this cone shaped invention or innovation I have in mind work? Well simple. The base of the cone sticking back will attach to the rear of the trailers edges. When the truck goes to back up the top and bottom will swivel on the sides to the right and left sides and then slide back on sliders along the sides of the truck and out of the way for loading or local city driving.

For long hauls the cone comes out for fuel efficiency and this also keeps cars back further and a safer following distance before the hard bumper of the trailers. The cones will be made of light-weight material and due to the economies of scale to produce one for every truck, the price will be under $3,000 and that can be saved in the first 8,000 to 15,000 miles in fuel at the current $3.00 per gallon costs. And remember many of these tractor trailer rigs will have 500,000 to 1 million miles on them before they are sold as used and then bought by Mexican Trucking companies and seconds. Consider all this in 2006. Lets be technologically smart about the fuel, which drives us around.

Lance Winslow - EzineArticles Expert Author

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/