FREIGHT TRAIN DRAG

ANALYSIS

Company 011

Deepansh Arora, Robert Mabrey,

Ruben Reyes, Tenzin Sherpa

https://www.topsimages.com/images/gone-like-frate-train-a6.html

• Characterize the drag variation

at each subsequent containers

of a freight train due to drafting.

https://www.topsimages.com/images/

bnsf-conductor-and-engineer-a2.html

Objective

BackgroundKnowledge -- Aerodynamic Drafting

- 'Numerical study on the aerodynamic

drag of drafting cyclist groups' - Bert Blocken

-- Bluff body Aerodynamics

- Flow fields around a container freight train

-David Soper

According to J. Riley's work from UIUC,

Background Knowledge (Contd.)

Edwards , J. R., and Barkan, C., “Train Energy,

Power and Traffic Control,” University of Illinois

at Urbana-Champaign, 2010.

• High Velocity equates to high air

resistance

• Effect on fuel economy

• Rolling resistance

-- Model Scaling

-- Drag force measurement

-- Boundary layer problem

Our Approach

Test Preparation

• Locomotive

• Containers

• Well Carts

Models Used Apparatus

• 3 x 4 Wind Tunnel

• Vernier Load Cell

• Vernier Lab Pro

- 1/56th scale model size

- Material used - wood

Metric Cart and Drag Quantification

1 2 3

45

Model Design, Building and Installation

Model Design, Building and Installation

1 2 3

54 6

Model Design, Building and Installation

2 3 4 51

Experimental Investigation

Metric Cart Placement

2

Drag Measurement

1 3

Installation

Engineering Estimates

Results

Results (cont.)

Conclusion

Drag (lb) Cd Drag (lb) Cd Drag (lb) Cd

Metric at Location One 0.058 0.152 0.094 0.185 0.114 0.187

Metric at Location Two 0.103 0.271 0.138 0.272 0.168 0.276

Metric at Location Three 0.085 0.223 0.121 0.238 0.151 0.248

Metric at Location Four 0.044 0.115 0.089 0.175 0.126 0.206

Metric at Location Five 0.170 0.447 0.242 0.476 0.293 0.480

Standalone Metric 0.269 0.707 0.387 0.761 0.469 0.770

Q = 15 psf

Re =116,000

Q = 20 psf

Re = 134,000

Q = 24 psf

Re = 146,000Configuration

Description

Experimental Recommendations

- Amount of Containers

- Flow Viz

- Loading Configurations

https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/army/fm/55-20/ch8.htm

Proposed Future Work

• Addition of Drag Reduction Devices

https://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/documents/about/envi

ronment/air/case-study-vortex-generators-road-

trains.pdf

http://www.stemco.com/product/trailertail/

Questions?