
## About the Author

Dr. Rainer Buffo is the CEO of <ExternalLink href="https://www.betterflow.com">"Betterflow GmbH"</ExternalLink>, a company specialized in optimizing the aerodynamics of trucks and trailers to reduce fuel / battery energy consumption. Next to their existing range of fuel-cutting add-ons for trucks, they also work on & lobby for more drastic changes to the shape of future trucks - Enjoy the blog post!

## About the Tesla Semi

Heavy-duty trucking is a conservative business: every minute and every dollar/euro counts and margins are low. There's definitely interest to reduce fuel or battery energy consumption, as this directly impacts the profitability of trucking companies. Our starting point today is the existing truck-trailer layout which is optimized around businesses, daily operations and regulations but suffers from an unattended aerodynamic health condition. But with the right treatment using effective add-ons and adjustments there is room for innovation and efficiency leaps. And there’s so much more to achieve!

So we were thrilled to see Tesla shocking the industry by presenting an extremely streamlined truck. It opened up the minds of people to rethink what could be possible and a drag coefficient of 0.35 is an impressive achievement.

<ImageWithCaption
  src="/assets/images/tesla-semi-drag.jpg"
  alt="The announcement of the 0.35 drag coefficient of the Tesla Semi"
  width="2816"
  height="982"
/>

One thing Tesla didn't really touch was the trailer (which makes sense, as they focused on electrifying the truck). Yes, the truck was optimized to deliver clean airflow to the trailer it is pulling, but from there on, it is back to usual business with a boxy trailer.

## Making the Truck & Trailer play together

We work on optimizing existing trailers every day, as much as we can within the newest regulations: we add flaps at the rear to help close the wake, we optimize the top to better accept incoming air from the truck and we "clean up" the flow underneath the truck. And that's where it gets interesting.

<ImageWithCaption
  src="/assets/images/addons.gif"
  alt="Add-ons for the drag reduction of trucks"
  width="1200"
  height="802"
/>

In parallel, we're designing the ultimate aero-truck to make a mark on the (road)map in terms of what is realistically possible for truck-trailer aerodynamics in the future. It's called the "2032 Future Truck". When you make the truck & trailer work together you can really go far beyond the 0.35 Cd value of the Tesla Semi!

## Bottoms up!

One key aspect of optimizing the airflow of a truck is to look at how the airflow moves underneath. The traditional train of thought (pun intended) is to shield the sides of the trailer to prevent flow from moving in and out from underneath the trailer / hitting the tires. That makes sense, as the truck has already pushed that air out of the way and the trailer can hide in this wake. But that means there is a "pocket of air" below the trailer being dragged along, virtually increasing the "frontal area" or "cross-section".

<ImageWithCaption
  src="/assets/images/pocket.jpg"
  alt="A Pocket of Air underneath the Trailer"
  width="1326"
  height="523"
/>

In our Future 2032 truck, we have completely redesigned the truck to allow for air go dive underneath the cabin, between the wheels. This channel is then continued underneath the trailer, where the air can flow freely between the left & right wheels (which are shielded to reduce drag).

<ImageWithCaption
  src="/assets/images/air-channel.jpg"
  alt="A channel beneath the truck & trailer to allow airflow"
  width="1078"
  height="523"
/>

Together with front & rear guiding vanes, we can create a high-speed flow all the way from the front of the truck to the rear of the trailer. Comparing to an indicative 3D model of the Tesla Semi, first CFD (computational fluid dynamics) estimates indicate that **the drag coefficient is almost 30% lower than the Tesla Semi**. Some might call this Black Magic! We think it's the next go-to treatment for the airflow around trucks.

<ImageWithCaption
  src="/assets/images/betterflow-concept.gif"
  alt="The Betterflow Future Truck 2032 Concept"
  width="640"
  height="360"
/>

## From Concept to Reality

We realize this concept cannot be made within existing road transport standards & habits. And maybe it will not look exactly like this in 2032. But we are working hard on creating awareness on its potential in different sector groups and regulatory organizations to pave the way for the necessary changes. Betterflow wants to make a substantial difference in terms of fuel emissions and battery energy consumption!

More information:

<ExternalLink href="https://www.betterflow.com">
  Betterflow Website
</ExternalLink>
<br />

<ExternalLink href="https://airshaper.com/videos/cutting-truck-bus-emissions-the-vecto-airdrag-tool/s2QyP6n4Zxs">
  Cutting Truck & Bus Emissions - The Vecto Airdrag Tool
</ExternalLink>
<br />

<ExternalLink href="https://app.airshaper.com/projects/new?accuracy=regular">
  Run your own Simulation
</ExternalLink>
<br />


Looking beyond the Tesla Semi - The Betterflow Future Truck 2032 Concept


## About the Author 📢

Vincent Keromnes works at <ExternalLink href="/partners/engineering/a2mac1">A2MAC1</ExternalLink>, a company specialized in benchmarking the performance of cars. Lots of cars. Vincent is in charge of what they call "Dynamic Benchmarking", covering Kinematic & Compliance testing, Energy Management Strategy, Battery Thermal management and so on. Recently, they added aerodynamics & aero acoustics to that list - the perfect timing for a blog article!

## Physical or Virtual Wind Tunnel? 🌬

We have several options to benchmark the aerodynamic performance of vehicles and we aim to get the best value out of each approach.

We analyze cars that are already available on the market. Running them through a physical wind tunnel test means you have the real shape (which can differ quite a lot from the digital mockup produced during development) in real wind conditions. But each wind tunnel has its own specific setup (attachment points, moving ground area, ...). This is ok when you're comparing the data with other vehicles tested in the same tunnel, but things get tricky when comparing with data from another tunnel or simulation data.

CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulations on the other hand can provide insights on digital models before the car is even built. Another advantage is the possibility to simulate real road conditions (without the limiations of a physical wind tunnel). But here too, comparability between different CFD methods is challenging, let alone the comparison to a wind tunnel test. The only solution for the latter is to include the full wind tunnel into the virtual CFD simulation.

In this blog, we'll compare the physical wind tunnel test with a CFD simulation applied on a high-quality exterior of the Tesla Model Y.

## Physical Wind Tunnel Setup ⚙

We took the Tesla Model Y to the <ExternalLink href="https://www.soufflerie2a.com/">S2A</ExternalLink> wind tunnel for a thorough airflow analysis. This tunnel has been used for many cars in the past and features a moving ground (although it is limited to the area between the wheels) and allows for the wheels to rotate.

<ImageWithCaption
  src="/assets/images/tesla-model-y-in-the-wind-tunnel.jpg"
  alt="The Tesla Model Y in the S2A Wind Tunnel"
  width="1438"
  height="959"
/>

Using smoke the flow pattern of the wind around the car was made visible. And using special techniques, the total pressure in a plane just 100mm behind the car was measured, giving good insight into the structure of the wake behind the car.

## The Virtual Wind Tunnel Setup 💻

To run a CFD simulation we needed a 3D model. In this case, a highly detailed scan of the exterior was made and then modified to increase realism: gaps between body panels were kept as geometrical discontinuity but were closed to avoid "false airflow" and the underhood flow was blocked by adding planes behind the grill. As for the aircurtains (small channels at the sides of the front bumper that provide a "shielding" layer of air across the front wheels), the inlets & outlets were part of the scan, but the duct connecting them to improve the flow was not (allowing for some air to escape "inside the car").

<ImageWithCaption
  src="/assets/images/tesla-model-y-scan-images.jpg"
  alt="3D Scan of the Tesla Model Y"
  width="1236"
  height="817"
/>

Once this was done, an AirShaper simulation was run. It also featured roating wheels and a moving floor (everywhere, not just between the wheels). The support arms used in for the wind tunnel test were not included.

<ImageWithCaption
  src="/assets/images/tesla-model-y-cfd.jpg"
  alt="CFD results for the Tesla Model Y"
  width="1298"
  height="594"
/>

## Results 🖇

We can't publish the full AirShaper report and the full S2A report (as these are documents available for purchase at either company). What I can share is the following:

CdA: the AirShaper simulation predicts a CdA which is 5-6% higher than the wind tunnel result. This can have many reaons, but in part this is because of the missing aircurtain ducts in the 3D model (increasing drag in the virtual wind tunnel simulation) and the narrow moving floor (reducing drag in the physical wind tunnel test).

Pressure distribution: below you can see the pressure distribution in a cut plane taken at 100mm behind the car. The global shape is very comparable, confirming the complementary & correlation between both techniques, despite their differences in setup & execution. The largest differences are close to the ground, where the physical wind tunnel (narrow moving ground) and virtual wind tunnel (full moving ground) feature a different approach.

<ImageWithCaption
  src="/assets/images/tesla-model-y-total-pressure.jpg"
  alt="Cut plot of the total pressure 100mm behind the Tesla Model Y"
  width="1928"
  height="649"
/>

## Cost 💲

Last but not least, I admit that the cost of doing a full vehicle scan and setting up a complete simulation manually yourself can cost as much as a physical wind tunnel test. By grouping all of these A2MAC1 scans & AirShaper simulations and offering the combined result to multiple users, the cost drops dramatically and understanding the aerodynamics of existing cars suddenly becomes much more accessible.

## Conclusion 💡

I will not enter into a debate discussing the difference between the two approaches - I've been trapped in this kind of discussion too many times during my career - it would never end 😏. The real value of vehicle performance analysis is not in the absolute values: benchmarking is about relative differences, with the goal of ranking the performance of different cars.

The most reliable approach is to use a robust protocol and a set of best practices applied in a systematic way, consistently using the same tools (whether they are physical or virtual).

<ExternalLink href="https://app.airshaper.com">
  Start your own simulation here
</ExternalLink>


Benchmarking the Tesla Model Y - Different Ways to Analyse the Aerodynamics


## Removing the pilot 🛩

As if developing their own four-seat passenger aircraft wasn't hard enough, <ExternalLink href="/partners/engineering/cfd-consultants">CFD Consultants GmbH</ExternalLink> are now working on an unmanned version of their baby.

They formed a network of aviation specialists to develop an innovative four-seat passenger aircraft called the TR230. After years of hard work, the prototype of the TR230 is about to successfully finish the flight test program. And already, they are working on their next move – they co-founded iViation GmbH to bring UF230 into the market: a freighter version to carry goods … without a pilot! The first certified autonomous cargo aircraft worldwide!

## Fast Conceptual Comparison 👁

To carry as much as possible, the cargo volume needed to increase to a minimum of 3m3. Making it wider reduces the usable wingspan and thus lowers maximum take-off weight, making it higher affects landing & take-off behaviour and sizing constraints, ... With a multi-variable problem like this, fast iterations on the global shape are crucial to gain insights & make crucial design choices.

<ImageWithCaption
  src="/assets/images/body-width.jpg"
  alt="AirShaper simulations performed on different body sizes"
  width="1800"
  height="731"
/>

In a first phase, they used AirShaper to compare multiple versions in terms of aircraft drag for a given (required) lift performance of the plane. With minimal effort & in a very short time, they were able to conclude that the wide-body fuselage had some operational advantages apart from decent aerodynamic performance.

## Finetuning the Details ⚙

In a second phase, they went on to perform custom simulations including the propeller, cooling airflow, flap configurations and so on, all featuring high-end boundary layer resolution & advanced turbulence modelling aimed at fine-tuning the aerodynamics and obtaining flight loads for certification. They ended up with a flap design that provides high lift coefficients and leads to outstanding short field qualities of UF230.

<ImageWithCaption
  src="/assets/images/cfd-on-flaps.jpg"
  alt="Close-up of the flow through and around the flaps"
  width="1837"
  height="890"
/>

## Conclusion 💡

In conclusion, using the right tools at the right time can really help to speed up the pace at which you gain insight. And that directly shortens the design cycle!

<ExternalLink href="https://app.airshaper.com">
  Start your own simulation here
</ExternalLink>


World's First Certified Autonomous Cargo Aircraft - How a group of passionate aviation specialists is developing the first autonomous cargo plane.


## Introduction

The top 3 question we receive from students are:

- How can I build a career in aerodynamics?
- Do you have an open position at AirShaper / know of another company with open positions?
- Can you support our Formula Student team?

In this blog we'll zoom in on the first & second question:
👣Which steps do you need to take to lang a job in the fascinating world of aerodynamics!

## Education 🎒

Yes, this is important: if you're applying for a job, your education matters. Most (mechanical) engineering bachelor or master tracks will include at least an introduction to fluid mechanics, as it's crucial to many engineering problems (damper design, hydrodynamics, HVAC - heating, ventilation and air conditioning, ...). Or, you can follow a master really dedicated to the field of fluid dynamics, often with a choice between experimental (real-life testing) and/or computational (computer simulations). Of course, the choice of the institute is important: some, like the TUDelft in the Netherlands, have a superb reputation and that will help you shine on your CV. Finishing such a master is of course fantastic, but still, you will not be entirely unique (unless you were the only student to follow that course, in which case you may want to question the course itself 😎).

<ImageWithCaption
  src="/assets/images/tudelft.jpg"
  alt="Courses on Aerodynamics at the TUDelft, Netherlands"
  width="1577"
  height="668"
/>

There is something else which is, at least in my opinion, equally important:
self-study.
Companies will appreciate & sometimes even demand the skills & knowledge you gained through your studies, but they will in many cases look for something extra, something that sets you apart.
If you can talk at length about the go-kart you pimped aerodynamically in your backyard, or how you spent long evenings programming your own CFD (computational fluid dynamics) code, this can really set you apart.

## Exposure 🗣

You can have plenty of skills, but you'll have to make them known to the world. Applying for open positions is an obvious way of doing so. But you could also build a network, even before you graduate, in the aerodynamics scene: write a blog, write stoties on Linkedin, post aero stuff on Twitter, ... let the world know you have a burning passion for aerodynamics.

It's not a straight path to success, and it's difficult to gauge the "return on investment", but you may be surprised by how you can sometimes end up talking to interesting people. And don't let anything hold you back: even if the people you want to talk to are senior people at respectable companies, just give it a try: add them on Linkedin, send them that interesting paper you did on your go-kart.

<ImageWithCaption
  src="/assets/images/willem_toet.jpg"
  alt="Willem Toet - Sauber"
  width="1044"
  height="687"
/>

Last but not least, don't underestimate the physical world:
Motorsport fairs for example (like the ones in Birmingham or Cologne) are a great place to find & meet very interesting people. I've had multiple encounters with Willem Toet, for example. He's a legend in terms of aerodynamics, has worked at Sauber for years, but is one of the most charming & accessible people in the entire racing scene. He & others like him often give interesting (free) talks at such events. After the talk? Just walk up there and tell an interesting story that sticks! As to date, there is no app that will replace the quality of a face-to-face meeting 😇

## Dedicated channels⚡

The first person ever to start working at AirShaper came to us via a job we had placed on <ExternalLink href="https://www.cfd-online.com/Jobs/">CFD Online</ExternalLink>, a specialist forum dedicated to computational fluid dynamics. In a similar way, but then dedicated to aerodynamics rather than CFD, we've created the <ExternalLink href="https://www.airshaper.com/jobs/landing">AirShaper Job Board</ExternalLink>. On this free & open platform, people can create a profile to be discovered and companies can post vacancies.

## Indirect paths 🏎

If you're dreaming of a job in Formula 1, don't over-focus on it.

First of all, being responsible for the aerodynamics of an entire car at a small company might be more rewarding than working on barge board number 3 on a Formula One car.

Second of all, an indirect path might actually be the more efficient & interesting one. Even if you start out working on drones, you may still end up at a race team later on. They might even value your expertise from a different sector.

Just stay open to interesting things that cross your path, instead of focusing solely on that ultimate goal. For all you know, you may discover another domain you find even more interesting!

## Perspective 📷

A cheesy one, but don't forget to live :)
Working on something you're passionate about is great, but please do balance work with other interesting things to do - it'll feed your creativy and keep you fresh!

## Conclusion 💡

Besides proper education, applying your passion to private projects and talking about it to people around you and people in aerodynamics scene can really make a difference. Go beyond the text books that others have read as well and play around, experiment and enjoy aerodynamics - by doing so, you'll come across interesting people & opportunities in life!


Building a Career in Aerodynamics - From learning CFD to wind tunnel testing to feeling the physics to landing a job


## About the Author

In this blog post, Laurent Bohez of Vault Engineering runs us through his personal dream to combine classic looks with cutting edge technology!

## Background

Cars designed in the 1960s lack many performance-increasing features. The way their chassis have been conveived for example, is completely different from today’s performance cars. And that’s not to mention aerodynamics – a field I didn’t realize was so crucial to performance before I started this project.

<ImageWithCaption
  src="/assets/images/ferrari_p4_rear_view.jpg"
  alt="Ferrari P4 Style Race Car"
  width="1387"
  height="867"
/>

I’ve been working with old-timers my entire life, mainly improving mechanical parts – changing these really had a tangile impact on the driving qualities of the car. But this project takes place at a different level with much bigger expectations. Building a high performance racing car is art, every car fanatic knows that. The real art is to make the different physics work together - matching the aerodynamic balance to the weight balance for example.

<ImageWithCaption
  src="/assets/images/modern_lemans_race_cars.jpg"
  alt="Modern LeMans Race Cars"
  width="1387"
  height="924"
/>

## Matching virtual and real world

The first step was to analyze the airflow on the original car. Very basic, no rotating wheels or different heights, just pure form. This is crucial to know where to start in terms of improvements. A small adjustment can make a big difference, but I always say: first we have to understand what is happening before we can turn it into true knowledge.
After the calculations with airshaper it was very clear what we were dealing with: huge amounts of lift on the nose and a negligible amount of downforce on the tail. And if you look at old images from the 24H of Le Mans you can indeed see how the nose lifts itself at high speeds. It must have been really terrifying to drive this machine!
I am a huge supporter of simulation software but I also like to compare results with reality. For example, I spoke to a person who raced the real cars for years as well as replica’s these days together with David Piper. I was so excited that he told me the simulation values depicting lift on the nose corresponded perfectly with what he had felt in these cars. A huge step forward! Now the real work can begin: bringing harmony and balance to these iconic cars.

<ImageWithCaption
  src="/assets/images/david_piper_ferrari_p4.jpg"
  alt="David Piper in his Ferrari P4"
  width="564"
  height="375"
/>

## Underfloor Aerodynamics

Like many, I’m a big fan of Adrian Newey. Seeing his latest creation, the Aston Martin Valkyrie, I came up with some great ideas together with airshaper. What classic cars really lack is proper underfloor aerodynamics. And as this doesn’t impact the classic look of the bodywork on top, we can really increase downforce without visual compromise. Support arms are now placed much higher to create room underneath special aerodynamics wizardry. We might even succeed at getting the front down force we need without using a front splitter!

<ImageWithCaption
  src="/assets/images/underfloor_aerodynamics.jpg"
  alt="Underfloor aerodynamics"
  width="1228"
  height="483"
/>

For more information, visit <ExternalLink href="https://www.vault.engineering/project-p4/">"Prototyping the Prototype"</ExternalLink><br />

<ExternalLink href="https://app.airshaper.com">
  Start your own simulation here
</ExternalLink>


High-Tech Classic Motorsport - Building High-Performance Race Cars with an Iconic Shape


## Passion for Aerodynamics

Yes, running a startup is hard work. Very hard work. But we started this journey straight from the heart - based on our Passion for Aerodynamics. Through this blog, we want to (re)connect with that fire, by discussing science beyond the numbers: why aerodynamics are cool, how this field helps to shape (part of) our world and who the people are behind some of the world's coolest cars, drones, buildings and more!

## Up close & personal

No matter how fast or efficient, numbers and science only come to life when they affect your experience and emotions. In our very personal case, we started [designing a sports car](/cases/aquilo-patented-aerodynamic-concept-car) about 12 years ago - AirShaper didn't even exist. Passion drove us and by chance, it led to AirShaper. This blog will cover the drive behind projects - which we've already felt when interviewing others, like Lowie Vermeersch (the design genius behind the [Ferrari 458](/videos/lowie-vermeersch-1-ferrari-458-to-lightyear-one/o4Yv5hynV1Q), [Lightyear One](/videos/lowie-vermeersch-2-the-lightyear-one-solar-car/TKHjyC_L0OM) and [Dallara Stradale](/videos/lowie-vermeersch-talks-4-the-dallara-stradale/c7NyvCluYVc)). But we won't be talking just about cars - we'll bring you the stories behind drones, ships and more!

## Open Community

This blog will be open to guest writers - customers and non-customers - talking about their love affair with aerodynamics. So if you feel you have an interesting story to share about a project or product where the airflow has made a difference, or an experience that gave you goose bumps - [let us know](mailto:info@airshaper.com)!

Enjoy!!


AirShaper BlogPassion for aerodynamics

Looking beyond the Tesla Semi - The Betterflow Future Truck 2032 Concept

Dr. Rainer Buffo

Benchmarking the Tesla Model Y - Different Ways to Analyse the Aerodynamics

Vincent Keromnes

World's First Certified Autonomous Cargo Aircraft - How a group of passionate aviation specialists is developing the first autonomous cargo plane.

Wouter Remmerie

Building a Career in Aerodynamics - From learning CFD to wind tunnel testing to feeling the physics to landing a job

Wouter Remmerie

High-Tech Classic Motorsport - Building High-Performance Race Cars with an Iconic Shape

Laurent Bohez

Passion For Aerodynamics - The AirShaper blog about anything related to airflow!

Wouter Remmerie

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