Air ducts for airflow management, and associated systems and methods

Abstract

Air ducts for airflow management of the engine compartment, and associated methods are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an air duct for venting an engine compartment of a tractor includes an inlet that faces the engine compartment, an outlet at an outer surface of a tractor fender, a body of the duct configured generally inside the fender, and one or more shutters that restrict flow of air at the inlet. In some embodiments, the outlet faces a low pressure zone that is downstream of the fender, and a pressure in the low pressure zone depends on a speed of the tractor.

1 . An air duct for venting an engine compartment of a tractor, comprising:
 an inlet that faces the engine compartment;   an outlet at an outer surface of a tractor fender;   a body of the duct configured through the fender; and   one or more shutters configured to restrict a flow of air,   wherein the outlet is oriented toward rear end tires of the tractor, wherein the outlet faces a low pressure zone that is downstream of the fender, and wherein a pressure in the low pressure zone depends on a speed of the tractor.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The air duct of  claim 1 , wherein the shutters allow or restrict the flow of air at least in part based on a pressure in the low pressure zone. 
     
     
         4 . The air duct of  claim 1 , wherein the shutters allow or restrict the flow of air at least in part based on a cross-wind at the tractor. 
     
     
         5 . The air duct of  claim 1 , wherein the body of the duct is shaped as a National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) profile. 
     
     
         6 . The air duct of  claim 1 , wherein the body of the duct seals an interior of the fender from the flow of air through the duct. 
     
     
         7 . The air duct of  claim 1 , further comprising an actuator configured to actuate the shutters. 
     
     
         8 . The air duct of  claim 7 , wherein the actuator is selected from a group consisting of an electrical motor, a servo motor, a hydraulic motor, and a pneumatic motor. 
     
     
         9 . The air duct of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a sensor configured to sense a temperature inside the engine compartment; and   a controller configured to control the actuator based at least in part on the temperature inside the engine compartment.   
     
     
         10 . The air duct of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 one or more sensors configured to sense a first pressure inside the engine compartment and a second pressure outside of the tractor; and   a controller configured to control the actuator based at least in part on a difference between the first pressure and the second pressure.   
     
     
         11 . The air duct of  claim 7 , wherein the shutters are attached to the inlet of the air duct. 
     
     
         12 . A method for venting an engine compartment of a tractor, comprising:
 sensing a temperature inside the engine compartment of the tractor;   opening one or more shutters of an air duct in response to sensing the temperature; and   flowing air from the engine compartment of the tractor through the air duct;   wherein the inlet of the air duct faces the engine compartment, wherein an outlet of the air duct is at an outer surface of a tractor fender, wherein the outlet is oriented toward rear end tires of the tractor, wherein the outlet faces a low pressure zone that is downstream of the fender, wherein a pressure in the low pressure zone depends on a speed of the tractor, and wherein a body of the duct is configured through the fender.   
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein, in response to an increased speed of the tractor, an increased amount of air flows through the air duct. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein opening one or more shutters is at least in part based on a cross-wind at the tractor. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein, in response to the cross-wind, the shutters on one fender of the tractor open more than the shutters on the opposite fender of the tractor. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein opening one or more shutters is based at least in part on an on/off state of an engine radiator fan. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein opening one or more shutters is based at least in part on a speed of the tractor. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein opening one or more shutters is performed by an actuator, and wherein the actuator is selected from a group consisting of an electrical motor, a servo motor, a hydraulic motor, and a pneumatic motor. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 controlling the actuator by a controller configured to receive at least one input from a group consisting of:
 the temperature inside the engine compartment; 
 a pressure inside the engine compartment; 
 a velocity of a cross-wind; and 
   a speed of the tractor.   
     
     
         21 . An air duct for venting an engine compartment of a tractor, comprising:
 an inlet that faces the engine compartment;   an outlet at an outer surface of a tractor fender;   a body of the duct configured through the fender;   one or more shutters configured to restrict a flow of air through the duct;   a plurality of flaps configured for closing and opening space between the tractor and a trailer;   one or more sensors configured to sense a first pressure inside the engine compartment and a second pressure outside of the tractor;   a controller configured to receive signals from the one or more sensors and to control at least one actuator, where an output of the controller is based at least in part on a difference between the first pressure and the second pressure; and   the at least one actuator configured to control opening and closing of the one or more shutters based on the output from the controller.