1. Retractable Tractor Trailer Boat Tail Tim Slattery 11/15/12

2. Background Typical full tractor trailer will get about 6 mpg & travels 120,000 miles per year $80,000 annual fuel cost Rear of trailer contributes ~25% of total aerodynamic drag

3. Description Goal To decrease drag on rear of trailer while still allowing easy access to cargo Device must retract to allow doors to fully open

4. Description Hinged metal plates form shape Device is unlocked from deployed position Pivot arm is rotated, pushing panels down the side of the trailer When in place, the device is locked into position and the doors can be opened Device is deployed by reversing this procedure

5. Customer Needs Allows use of current dock Improves fuel economy Device does not obscure any tail lights Device must lock in deployed and retracted positions Pays for itself in 1 year

6. Main Specifications Reduces aerodynamic drag by >7% Annual fuel savings of $2,200 Trailer doors are free to open at least 250° Extends off back of truck 5 feet or less Department of Transportation (DOT) Constraint Does not extend past width and height of trailer DOT Constraint Deploy or retract device in less than 30s Deploy or retract in 5 steps or less

7. Scope & Deliverables Scope Design that allows full access to trailer doors Reduce drag by 7-9% Focus on retractable design mainly Deliverables 1.Small scale trailer model to prove drag reduction 2.One half scale prototype to demonstrate retractable function

8. Customer Aerodynamic Trailer Systems, LLC Jim Domo Design products to improve trailer efficiency Makers of the SmartTail® 4-7% fuel savings Only deploys at highway speeds Faculty Consultants Dr. Gomes Mechanical Design, Mechanics Dr. Wellin Testing, Aerodynamics, Fluid Mechanics Dr. Venkataraman Fluid Mechanics, CFD, Wind Tunnel

9. Team Staffing & Equipment 4-5 ME Students CFD Analysis Fluid Dynamics Aerodynamics Stress Analysis Fatigue Analysis Mechanical Design RIT Drag Tank RIT Wind Tunnel RIT Machine Shop MSD lab

10. Budget Estimate Budget $750.00 High investment yields high long term savings 7-9% drag reduction = $2205.59-$2835.76 annual fuel savings Consumer cost <$2000.00 provides net savings in under one year ItemSourceCost Each ($)QuantityTotal ($) 6061 Aluminum Sheet (51” x 24” x 1/16”) www.metalsupermarkets.com~6016~480 Miscellaneous---150.00 6061 Aluminum Square Tubing (8 ft) www.onlinemetals.com7.00428.00 1:24 Scale Truckwww.3000toys.com29.001 Plywood (4’ x 8’ x 0.5”) www.lowes.com~93~27 2x4 boards (8 ft)www.lowes.com~47~28 Total~$750.00

11. Future Projects Optimize tail geometry Improve fuel savings Up to 16% fuel savings Saves $12,000 annually Fully automated design Minimize operator interaction Full scale prototype testing

12. References Aerodynamic Trailer Systems, LLC www.ats-green.com Tractor Trailer Tail: Final Report http://www.seniord.aere.iastate.edu PRP http://edge.rit.edu/edge/R13902/public/HW_Deliverables/Indivi dual%20Submissions/Tim%20Slattery/PRP%20Drafts/PRP- Final.pdf http://edge.rit.edu/edge/R13902/public/HW_Deliverables/Indivi dual%20Submissions/Tim%20Slattery/PRP%20Drafts/PRP- Final.pdf