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Solar Car Shell Design

Solar Car Shell Design. Allison Bedwinek, Douglas Simmons, Sheldon Low, and Laura Sullivan ME 43A Fall 2004 . Project Goals. Design a shell for solar car Overall aerodynamically superior car Low rolling resistance Low coefficient of drag Incorporate solar panels

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Solar Car Shell Design

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  1. Solar Car Shell Design Allison Bedwinek, Douglas Simmons, Sheldon Low, and Laura Sullivan ME 43A Fall 2004

  2. Project Goals • Design a shell for solar car • Overall aerodynamically superior car • Low rolling resistance • Low coefficient of drag • Incorporate solar panels • Meets voltage/current requirements from Electrical Engineering team • Lightweight, yet strong • Material selection • Compete in the North American Solar Challenge • July 2005 race from Austin, TX to Calgary, AB, Canada

  3. Major Specifications • Rayce Regulations • Overall dimensions • Safety • Cockpit ventilation • Driver Egress • Visibility • Nerd Girls • Frame • Solar panels • Drive train

  4. Carbon Fiber Composites • Carbon Fiber is a form of graphite in long thin ribbons. • The fibers are used to reinforce polymers. • Carbon fiber composites are used for everything http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/1320/

  5. Carbon Fiber Construction • A plug is made of the desired car shape, and a mold is then built off of that. • Carbon Fiber Tissue is placed in the molds while still flexible. • These molds are then pressurized and heated. The Resin in the Tissue then adheres to the carbon fiber ribbons to form one solid composite in the desired shape. www.secart.com

  6. Research • University of Missouri-Rolla • 2003 winning solar car • Common Solar Car Features • Thin and streamline • Low to the ground • Unobtrusive windshield and canopy • Wheel fairings www.prin.edu/solar/home.php solar42.umr.edu www.americansolarchallenge.org/

  7. Aerodynamics Conservation of Momentum • Drag • Total area • Sharp Corners • Turbulent Flow • Curve Discontinuities http://ocw.mit.edu/ans7870/16/16.unified/propulsionS04/UnifiedPropulsion2/UnifiedPropulsion2.htm

  8. Aerodynamics • External Force: Pressure • Cross Sectional Area • Upward and Downward Pressure www.gmecca.com/byorc/dtipsaerodynamics.html#Drag

  9. Preliminary Considerations • Car Frame • Solar Panels • 1.038 m x .527 m (2) • 1.559 m x .798 m (4) • Wheel Fairings • Turning radius of car • Only on back wheels

  10. Design of Shell • Flat Surface Area for Cells • Flat Sides with Fillets • Leading and Trailing Edges • Curved Underbelly

  11. Flow Analysis With Canopy Streamlines Air Density: ρ=1.29 kg/m^3 Air Velocity: U∞= 20 m/s Dynamic Viscosity: μ=1.5 X 10^-5 N*s/m^2 Pressure Velocity Pmax=264.876 Pa Umax=35.786 m/s

  12. Flow Analysis of Sides Streamlines Air Density: ρ=1.29 kg/m^3 Air Velocity: U∞= 20 m/s Dynamic Viscosity: μ=1.5 X 10^-5 N*s/m^2 Pressure Velocity Pmax=155.613 Pa Umax=29.868 m/s

  13. Updates • New solar panel layout • Customized modules of SunPower Corp cells built by SunWize • Significantly lighter and thinner • F16 windshield canopy • More aerodynamic design

  14. Updates • Working with Secart LLC of Bethel, CT, a carbon composites engineering firm • Mold construction is the most labor intensive step • Plugs will be created from 3D models • Next month, begin construction of molds • Two versions of shell • 1st version – create door, add brackets

  15. Acknowledgements • American Solar Challenge • Nerd Girls • James Seeley, Secart LLC • Prof Karen Panetta, Electrical Engineering • Prof James O’Leary, Mechanical Engineering • Matthew Heller and Rick Colombo, EE consultants for Nerd Girls

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