Engineering Projects/Electric Cars/Howard Community College/ecars/Weekly Forum

Link to 550_ecars team page.

Week 1 Activities
Decided to go with the scaled down version. A go cart would be ideal but a model (RC) car is probably the most practical due to our lack of funding and resources. Investigated the local dump for possible parts found three lawn mowers if we need a larger engine. If we go with the larger engine it would then require a larger frame we would have a hard time developing/ acquiring axles that would support that size of vehicle. We would like to incorporate a pneumatic powered engine.

Week 2 Activities
Research was done on a pneumatic/mechanical power plant. Utilizing compressed air to drive the pistons,thus completing the stroke, by virtue of air pressure rather than the traditional means of combustion of fuel and air.

Experiments were performed on a pneumatic/electric type power plant. This method utilized air to drive a turbine (re-purposed from an old hair dryer)that in turn powered an electric motor. The method was successful in that it powered a kids Power Wheel (with the rear axle suspended). Data was collected and compared to the original equipped battery. The turbine outperformed the battery and seemed only to be held back from the gearing in the transmission.

Week 3 Activities
Observations were conducted of an transmission commandeered from a small Power Wheel that is a electric powered. A test was performed to identify the gear ratio of the transmission in order to research the probability of utilizing the transmission in its current state or an altered one for a 1/6th scale alternative powered vehicle.

A drawing of a scale interpretation of our concept vehicle was developed. The drawing identifies the placement of the key components as well as the displacement of the model we intend to build.

Week 4 Activities
Developed and tested a tandem turbine system. The purpose was examine whether or not a system like this would be able to generate more power than a single unit. Which it did not the single turbine outperformed the tandem version this was confirmed with a voltmeter. Overall the turbine system is inefficient and requires a vast amount of air. The reservoir that would be needed makes this system out of scope of the project and further research will be discontinued.