Design Development

1. AIChE Car Competition: Battery Powered Motion Josh Ashcroft, Joshua Gemmell, Susan Kubinski, Robert Ruttle, Stephen Sepulveda, Bryan Sexton, and David Vasquez,Arizona State University Advisors Dr. Jeff Heys and Fred Peña, Arizona State University Design Development • Locomotion/Body Design • 9V, 0.1 amp motor used to propel car • Gears attached to both motor and front axle • Galvanized steel body • CD casing Final Design Sparky 1 Sparky 3 Battery • Battery made from zinc plated nails (anode) in zinc sulfate solution and copper (cathode) in copper sulfate solution with a salt bridge made from sodium chloride soaked sponges • Battery case was prepared from Plexiglas with 10 cells per case • Cases are stackable to allow for the use of multiple cases • Made from galvanized steel (zinc) and copper plates • Paper towel sheets soaked in lemon juice were placed in between metal plates to act as an electrolyte • Each cell was made from one zinc plate and one copper plate with a soaked paper towel placed in between Figure 7: Bryan Testing the Car Budget Figure 2: Stacked Battery Cases Figure 4: Josh and Robert Creating Battery • 36 cells were used – 4 sets of 9 cells wired in parallel • Case constructed from Plexiglas Figure 1 : Battery Case Complications • The weight of the cases was substantial • Did not achieve high enough current or voltage Timing Reaction • Hydrochloric acid of varying concentration is used to dissolve a magnesium strip • The strength of the hydrochloric acid is determined by time it takes car to travel the required distance • Magnesium strip is wired within the circuit and acts like a switch, shutting the motor off Sparky 2 • Battery made from zinc plated nails (anode) in zinc sulfate solution and copper nails (cathode) in copper sulfate solution with a salt bridge made from agar and sodium chloride • Each cell was created in plastic tubing to reduce size and weight • Agar salt bridge was used to maximize ion flow, creating improved current and voltage • All other supplies used were donated to the project from various sources Future Work Figure 5: Timing Reaction Case • Experiment with a variety of assorted electrodes • Experiment with different electrolytes • Create a enhanced propulsion method/body design • Case is made out of Plexiglas • 2 pins are use hold magnesium ribbon on place Complications • Still could not achieve high enough current to propel the motor using a reasonable number of cells Acknowledgments Special thanks to Dr. Jeff Heys and Fred Peña for all their assistance and the Department of Chemical Engineering, ASU’s Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering for funding this project Figure 3: U Tube Cell Design Figure 6: Sparky 3