IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY SOLAR CAR TEAM UPDATE July/August 2000, Volume 6, Issue 5 www.prisum.iastate.edu Special Thanks to Remmele Engineering: Team PrISUm members and Remmele Engineering, Inc. employees pose in front of the mold that will be used to construct the top half of the car. Mechanical Team is Awarded Donations Jason Hill Director of Mechanical Systems This summer has been a very productive time for Team PrISUm's Mechanical Team. We have been working diligently on the construction of the vehicle body molds and wrapping up the designs of the mechanical systems. In recent weeks, we have been doing quite a bit of traveling to acquire products and make use of donated services. The Boeing Special Thanks to The Boeing Company and DARPA: John Adams, Jr. Dr. Larry Birckelbaw Jerry Merkel Ron Verbarg Company and DARPA in St. Louis were very gracious and gave four Team PrISUm members a tour of the Phantom Works before helping us load carbon fiber into our truck. We saw lots of interesting things and now we understand even more about how this multidisciplinary project applies to real life problems in industry. During the last week in July, we had the pleasure of working with a great company, and a great group of individuals. The generous folks from Remmele Engineering, Inc. (REI) volunteered their machining services to create the aerodynamic body molds for PrISUm Odyssey. In the coming months, our final drawings will be coming to life, and the mock up of the chassis will begin to have parts mounted to it. This fall we will be welcoming a new class of members to the team as the Don Berg Mark Johnson Larry Berg Kevin McClurg Ken Denfeld Doug McDonald Ron Gerber Doug Rootes Kevin Gradin Dave Wagner school year begins so look for a few new members to break into the solar car lime-light and watch Team PrISUm soar higher than ever before. Jason is from Ankeny, Iowa, and is majoring in Computer Engineering. Inside This Issue Director's Note Strategy Update What are the vehicles of the future really going to be like? Solar Array Update Electrical Update R.Ob.I.N. Update Outreach Update Thank you to our Sponsors 2 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Director’s Note By Nick Mohr Director, Team PrISUm As this summer begins to draw to a close and as people begin to return to Ames for the new school year, we can’t help but to reflect on a very productive summer. Thanks to all of our very generous sponsors, our fundraising has topped the $350,000 mark, which brings our goal for the next year to about $200,000. I am looking forward to working with all of you to make that happen. We have been very fortunate over the last few months to have secured a lot of help from some very generous donors. You have read earlier in this issue about the team’s recent trips to Boeing in St. Louis and REI in Minnesota. I would like to extend a special thanks to these corporations, and others, who have been so hospitable and generous to Team PrISUm. This summer, the team has made great strides in finalizing the design for PrISUm Odyssey. Right now, we are planning to hold a design review on September 16 at Iowa State to announce the technical design considerations for Odyssey. If you would like to attend this event, please feel free to contact us at the Team PrISUm administrative office. Also, much like the revision to the style of The Sundial, Team PrISUm’s website has undergone some substantial changes as well. I would encourage each of you to visit the new site and read about our ongoing progress. You will also see on the new web site the opportunity to sign up for an e-mail newsletter, where you can get more timely updates and other interesting information. Nick is from Bettendorf, Iowa, and is majoring in Mechanical Engineering. July/August 2000 Strategy Team Update By Mike Dorman Director of Strategy Systems How many miles per gallon does your car get? 12? 15? 20, maybe? Everyone knows that you save money when your car gets good gas mileage, because you don't have to fill up as often. In solar car racing, we're not concerned with saving gas money (sunlight is free, after all). But, we are interested in conserving the energy stored in the solar car's batteries. Instead of 12 to 15 gallons of gas like your car, we have 35 to 45 Amp-hours of power when our "tank" is full. The Strategy Team is tasked with investigating the components of the solar car, gathering information about the race route, and analyzing weather forecasts in order to develop an optimal racing strategy for our team. We have to find answers for difficult questions like, "How fast should we drive today?" "Will we have good sunlight later this afternoon?" and "How much power will we get from the sun in the morning?" Fortunately, we are able to take advantage of computer resources to help us answer those questions. We're beginning the development of a new simulator program that will accurately predict how PrISUm Odyssey will perform throughout the race route. Those simulations combined with real-time telemetry data from the Electrical Team and weather information from the R.Ob.I.N. network will enable us to drive as effectively as possible (and hopefully win the race!) We still need some help, however. The computer resources we have are becoming outdated, and we are turning to corporate sponsors for equipment donations and support. Recently, Street Wizard donated their mapping development software that will be put to use in our navigation system. Mike is from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and is majoring in Computer Engineering. The current American Solar Challenge Route will follow old Route 66. This will take solar cars through mountains and deserts. What are the vehicles of the future really going to be like? Dwight Brown Director of Systems Integration This summer I have taken on the challenge of directing the design and construction of Odyssey while working as a full-time intern at General Motors in Detroit. Here in Detroit, I have had a wonderful opportunity to see what automotive manufacturers around the globe have up their sleeves for the 21st Century. Over the years, Team PrISUm has often been asked if solar cars will show up in garages sometime down the road. Here is your answer: Yes and No. If you are happy, you can stop here. If you would like to know more, keep reading. The vehicles of the future will be packed with efficient and regenerative power-trains, some of which may attain their energy from the sun through photovoltaics. Many of the vehicles now being designed by major manufacturers incorporate many different types of systems to propel vehicles down the road. Amazing jumps in battery technology and fuel cell drives electric motors to attain up research will allow future vehito 108 miles per gallon in normal cles to store great amounts of highway driving. electrical energy. This electrical Solar energy for the vehicles energy will be used to power of the future will be used in two small electric main ways. The motors at two or first and greatest all four wheels. use of solar enThe energy ergy will be to stored in the charge the vehibatteries or fuel cle's batteries cells will come while it is in the from a wall outparking lot or let, the sun, driveway. Small small generagroups of solar tors, or the fuel cells can be cell's converplaced on the sion of hydroElectric motors can be manufactured roof or under a gen into water. glass surface at small enough to actually fit in the The emiswheel. Seen here, is the in-hub motor the base of the from PrISUm Phoenix. sions from these windshield or vehicles will be rear window. absent for electric power, water The second use of solar energy is for fuel cell power, and very low that of home and corporate chargCO2 emissions from high effiing stations. The energy that the roof of your home or that of a ciency engines. These small encharging station collects during gines may not propel the car dithe day can be stored in battery rectly, but instead act as little generators, turning themselves on packs. You can then plug your car into these packs in the eveand off when power is needed to ning and transfer the sun's daycharge the batteries or power the time energy into the vehicle. climate control system. These Every year researchers are imvehicles have been termed hybrids for their use of multiple sys- proving existing technology and creating new ones. The future tems of propulsion and energy stor- holds exciting changes for the automotive industry and Team age. A recent PrISUm is excited to be part of concept car, the that development. Precept, uses batteries as well as a small enDwight is from Ankeny, Iowa, and is majoring in Mechanical Engineering. gine, which Nickel Metal-Hydride batteries are currently being used in hybrid vehicles today. Those batteries are much like these which are being studied by Team PrISUm. July/August 2000 Solar Array Research and Development Update By Brennan Downes Director of Solar Array R/D This summer has been a productive one. The solar array team has determined the type of solar cell that we are going to use for PrISUm Odyssey and is working on the several details so we can have the modules on the array ready for encapsulation by the end of fall. There are many planned changes in the design of Odyssey’s array to make it easier to build and repair. We have already sized the array and have worked with the mechanical and electrical teams to ensure that the array will be as efficient as possible. Many aspects of the array need to be taken into considera- tion for reasons other than the collection of the sun’s energy. The configuration in which the array collects energy is dependent on the type of maximum power point trackers and the batteries that we are going to use in the car. In the same respect, the aerodynamics of the car are affected by how much the array interrupts airflow around the car. A poorly designed array could actually decrease the car’s performance by using power it has collected to overcome the air resistances it develops on the surface of the vehicle. To help decrease the drag and the increase the overall per- formance of the array, we are consulting professional solar array designers to ensure that we will be able to compete at the highest level in this race. We are excited for the end of summer (really we are!) so that we can regroup back in Ames and continue our progress with the assistance of those students who have been away for the summer and of those that are new to the team. Brennan is from Wheaton, Illinois, and is majoring in Electrical Engineering. Team PrISUm Releases New Website! As the construction of PrISUm Odyssey gets underway our sponsors, supporters, and fans are going to be interested in our progress. The new website is based upon keeping information up to date and improving accessibility of information. Web surfers will find it easier to locate what they are looking for while at the same time becoming more interested in the team’s project. Please take a look at: www.prisum.iastate.edu July/August 2000 Subscribe to the E-Mail Newsletter Now! Do you enjoy reading The Sundial and learning what Team PrISUm is doing? If so, the new E-mail Newsletter is for you! It is easy to subscribe to the Email Newsletter, just log on to the web at www.prisum.iastate.edu and scroll to the bottom. There you will find the box to insert your email address. As a result, you will learn about important information as soon as it is released! Electrical Team Update By Brenton Rothchild Co-Director of Electrical Systems Square D is Team PrISUm’s most recent Corporate Battery Pack Contributor with their donation of $5000! Brenton is from West Des Moines, Iowa, and is majoring in Computer Engineering. Ask Team PrISUm a question! In future issues of The Sundial, there will be a section for questions sent to us by Sundial readers. Ask questions about our team, solar cell technology, or about our upcoming events. We hope to educate as many people as possible about Team PrISUm, solar technology, and alternative fuels. Just ASK!! Send Your Questions Team PrISUm Questions 110 Marston Hall Iowa State University Ames, IA 50011-2151 Email: solarcar@iastate.edu John Burns accompanied students from other universities during the trial run of ASC 01. July/August 2000 Formula Sun Organization Formula Sun Organization Recently, John Burns had the opportunity to join three other solar car teams on the American Solar Challenge trial run. Students from MIT, University of Missouri-Columbia, and University of Waterloo operated the solar car from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, while the RoseHulman Institute of Technology (RHIT) solar car (Solar Phantom V) was operated by a composite team from RHIT, Iowa State University, Ohio State University, and the University of MissouriRolla. They traveled from Chicago, Illinois to Los Angeles, California over the course of two weeks. After participating in this trial run we strengthened our friendships with the other teams and saw the route for the upcoming American Solar Challenge 2001. Back in the garage, we are currently working on prototyping our designs for Odyssey’s most critical electrical components, such as battery monitoring and propulsion control. We are also working closely with the mechanical team and drivers to iron out the details of the driver interface. Our latest efforts include implementing failure-tolerant systems and redundancy into our designs. Rose Hulman Institute of Technology brought Solar Phantom V along during the ASC trial run. R.Ob.I.N. Team Update By Matthew Nelson Director of Team R.Ob.I.N. Greetings from Team R.Ob.I.N! As the long summer days have been progressing, we have been diligently working on the R.Ob.I.N. system. Team R. Ob.I.N. will handle all communication matters for the team. We are excited about this, and we are looking forward to starting a new tradition at Team PrISUm. In other news, a meeting was held July 12th so that we could update everyone on what has What Is R.Ob.I.N? Radio Observance Intelligence Network Mission Statement: "To provide reliable long range communications of both voice and data for Team PrISUm and be responsible for the exchange of this information for Team PrISUm." happened so far this summer. At the meeting we discussed future plans for the data side of R.Ob.I.N. using TCP/IP and packet radio. TCP/IP is the type of computer protocol that we will be using to transfer data. We have learned a lot about TCP/IP, some built-in support that Linux has for TCP/IP, and about the implementation of the network. Linux will be the operating system that we will be using. We want to have a two station TCP/IP network up and running by the end of the summer. July/August 2000 We also have received a second pneumatic tower from KCCI—TV in Des Moines to be used to elevate the antennas. These towers should work very well for our application. A second repeater system will be worked on into the fall semester, and we will be programming the controller. We also need to finish testing the system and build a suitable casing for the receiver and exciter units. With this complete, the only components we need will be duplexers for the repeater, a 440 radio for the link, and dual band antennas. Once we have these, we will be able to have two repeater systems that can be linked to each other to extend the range. From Team R.Ob.I.N., thank you for your support, without you, we would never get the chance to fly. Matthew is from Shenandoah, Iowa, and is majoring in Electrical Engineering. Two pneumatic towers, donated from KCCI—TV, are currently being tested by the R.Ob.I.N Team. Outreach Update By Erin Isvik Outreach Coordinator We've had many calls come through and I think that is GREAT! I love to hear from folks wanting to see the car and to learn about the team. On August 5th we went to Waverly to display Phoenix at the Iowa Renewable Energy Expo. The students that attended the event said that it was great to talk to the different vendors about their products and share information about Team PrISUm. We will be in the Storm Lake area on September 23 for the Enron Windfest and we would love to see everyone there. We will also be at the College of Engineering Tailgater preceding the UNLV football game on September 9. We love getting a chance to talk with our supporters, so if you can, stop by and say 'hi'. Erin is from West Union, Iowa, and is majoring in Computer Engineering. Upcoming Outreach Events ISU Club Fest Memorial Union, Ames, IA September 6, 2000 College of Engineering Tailgater East Lawn, Jack Trice September 9, 2000 Stadium, Ames, IA Outdoor Classroom NW Research Farm September 12, 2000 Enron Windfest II Storm Lake, IA September 23, 2000 Team PrISUm Cabinet Nick Mohr Benjamin Nimmergut Dwight Brown Jason Hill John Burns Brenton Rothchild Brennan Downes Mike Dorman Matthew Nelson Scott Goric Jason King Erin Isvik Katherine Strachan Emily Boyd Project Director Assistant Director Director of Systems Integration Director of Mechanical Systems Co-Director of Electrical Systems Co-Director of Electrical Systems Director of Solar Array R/D Director of Strategy Systems Director of Team R.Ob.I.N. Director of Facilities and Safety Director of Personnel Outreach Coordinator Secretary Historian Team PrISUm displayed PrISUm Phoenix at the Iowa Renewable Energy Expo in Waverly, Iowa on August 5. The Sundial is a publication of Team PrISUm 110 Marston Hall Iowa State University Ames, IA 50011-2151 TEL: (515) 294-0899 FAX: (515) 294-9273 solarcar@iastate.edu www.prisum.iastate.edu All photos, unless otherwise credited, by Team PrISUm © 2000 by Team PrISUm Editor: Benjamin Nimmergut Team PrISUm is partially funded by GSB. July/August 2000 Team PrISUm Thanks our Sponsors: PrISUm Majesty Boeing Darpa Geographic Data Technologies Sovereign Saint Dept of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering Dept of Mechanical Engineering Remmele Engineering Solar Saint Featherlite, Inc. Government of the Student Body Iowa Energy Center Solar Luminary BP Amoco College of Engineering Dallas Semiconductor Department of EECpE General Plastics Square D Shining Benefactor Bridgestone—Firestone EMJ Steel Hexacon Motorola Power Patron Alliant Energy American Power Conversion Bandag, Incorporated Donaldson Company, Inc. Eaton EDS IBM Ida Rothchild Institute for Physical Research and Technology / Ames Laboratory KCCI—TV Lord Corporation Maxim MidAmerican Energy Kurt and Eileen Nimmergut National Instruments Principal Financial Group SPX Corporation UPS Xantrax W.A. Richardson Joe Meyers July/August 2000 Team Sustainer 3M Alcoa Amana Center for Non-Destructive Evaluation Central Iowa Chapter Iowa Engineering Society Dremel Gary and Jane Mohr Gless Brothers, Inc Dale and Mary Hildreth IEEE—Cedar Rapids Jameco Lemos International Lucent Technologies Microchip StreetWizard.com Tandy Corporation Waldens Foto Shop Rayce Sponsor Arnold and Kim Hill Bill Grothus Colormaster Digi-Key Hancock United Methodist Church Harry Burns LinkComm Mary Burns Mary J. Treglia Community Center Munn’s Lumber Muscatine Chapter Iowa Engineering Society Norwest Bank PTA of Hunt Elementary School Barry and Carol Barnes Bert and Sheila Merrell Mr. and Mrs. Donald Scheffler Wandling Engineering Washington High School—Cedar Rapids Margaret Weatherspoon Odyssey Contributor Advanced Heat Treat Corporation Bluedorn Science Imaginarium Bolton & Menk Dept of Chemical Engineering College of Education DeLorme EMC Insurance Companies First State Bank - Tabor, IA Gary and Jenny Downey Glenwood State Bank Odyssey Contrib, cont. Home Companies - Glenwood L & L Insulation J & R Supply Company Lawrence Trucking Lowe’s—Ames Pain Enterprises Pizza Hut—Waterloo Rockwell Collins Shimkat Motor Co. Steve Lappe Tech Tools Douglas and Bonnie Brown Russ and Cher Carrillo Mick and Janet McBride Donald and Verneil Branstad Danny Holmes Eric and Ann Wilson Jean Hempstead University Legal Services Adopt-a-Battery Ned and Ann Allen Tom and Azza Andreesen Army Aviation Support Facility Employees Bartlett & West Bob and Kathy Binderup Guy and Phillis Bradley E.H. and Betty Breckenfelder Jim and Carolyn Cornette Bruce Crouse O. Robert Eddy Paul and Bernice Exstrom Bob Felderman Keith Felderman Dan Griffen Elizabeth Hunter Dennis Jennerjohn Lowell Lauver Mary Beth Lieberknecht Ralph Marrs Richard Michael Ron and Dianna Nelson Joe and Linda Peppers David and Susan Peterson Don and Charlotte Rasmussen Douglas and Dorothy Rogers Larry and Judy Rollstin Noel and Ruth Smith L.N. Spohnheimer, M.D. Gerald Stevenson Robert Steveson Kendall Strohman Roland and Wilma Struss Jeffrey and Kathryn Wald Eric Wittrock Adopt-a-Cells Karla Abrahamson Ann Mowery & Allan Powers Kenneth Allbaugh Diane Allen Brent Allen Jerry Amenson Ken and Martha Anderson Aspro Frank Augustine Teddi Barron Susan Barron Linda and Fred Barrow Baseler Family Baseler Olaf Begtrup Kim Bentley Max Berlin Arthur Bine Henry Birkenholz Terry and Dina Blummer Bob and Bev Bole Emily Boyd E.H. and Betty Breckenfelder Rita and Alfred Breitbach Michael & Carol Brentnall Douglas & Bonnie Brown Russell Brownsberger George and Agatha Burnet Harry Burns John Burns Russ Carrillo Randall Chambers City of Waterloo Engineering and Planning John Cleasby John and Judy Clem Aircraft Maint. Platoon (4th) CoC 2/135th LUH Leo and Carol Coffey Ed and Sue Collins Emmett Cooney Roy Craig Creative Software Services, INC. Mary and Bob DeBruin Donna Distefano George and Sharon Dorman Emmett Dreeszen Dee Dreeszen Mike Dunker Lloyd Dunn Donald and Mary Dvorak Orville and Karen Earhart Andrew Earhart Richard and Mary Eastvold Michael and Diane Eckers Thomas and Ida Eckey Todd & Wanda Eikenberry David Elder Donald Elk July/August 2000 Myrna Elliott John Ely Joshua Engelbrecht Marshall and Louise England Jeff Etringer Hank and Pat Fillner Marvin and Lydia Fjeld William & Eileen Fleming Kent Floy Fremont Mills Community Schools Joanne Fuller Marjorie Fuller Casey Fulton William & Mary Fulton Betty Garvey Boyd and Mary Kay Gillam Roger Glasnapp Chuck and Bonnie Glatz Betty Goehring Mary and Thomas Goric Karl and Melba Gschneidner Jeff and Christy Haider Cindy Hauber Michael Hauptman Thamon and Mary Hazen George and Maridee Hegstrom Arnold and Kim Hill Paul Himebaugh Gary and Jennifer Hindt Jay Hinkhouse, M.D. John Hornberger, M.D. C.L. and Evelyn Huffman Davie Hurlbut Richard & Donna Huyett Allen Ihlefeld Gary and Jeanne Ihlefeld Bruno and Gladys Ihlefeld Stan Isvik Jeff and Kay Pettijohn and Kalli Swan David & Kim Jennings David Johnson Jane Johnson Jim and Jo-Ann Johnson Katherine Johnson Vaughn and Shelley Johnson Rich and Judy Jones Ronald Keller Gary Kent Merle Kirby Willis & Colleen Kirchner George and Marjorie Knutzon Emil and Alice Koval David and Susan Kramer Kuehl & Payer Ltd. Jeff Lanning Dale Lappe Melvin and Linda Leib Lembke Family Lembke John Lieb Paul Lo Gallo Looby Investments Kathy MacKay Steve and Karen Marshall Curtis and Kandace Martin Mason City Overhead Door Company Don and Cathy Matthews Robert Meier Russ Melanson Jacob Mertz Eldon & Marilyn Meyer Don Miller Cary & Dianne Miller Susan Miller John and Linda Miller Jane Mohr Terry and Julee Molle Brian Moorhead Mr. Child's 7th Grade Science Class Alan and Louise Muhl Bruce Munson Myriad Consulting Group Inc. Rev. Ronald and Chris Nelson Carl and Elaine Nelson James and Anna Nilsson Kurt & Eileen Nimmergut Victor Noer Chris and Anne Nygaard Tad Olson Kirstin Oppel Walt Ortmann Cecil and Norma Parsons Bill and Jan Patton Arloe W. Paul Phyllis Pearson Mary Pecenka Joseph Peppers Linda Peppers Errollynne Peters Deanna and Ed Peters David and Sandra Petersen Michael and Heather Petersen Eugene and Patricia Peterson Patrick & Gwendolyn Prevenas Eric Prosise Jimmie and Joan Puck John and Linda Rebane Red Lobster Cassandra Reichter Greg and Barb Reichter Duane and Flo Reichter Randy Ritt Adam Roberts Jim and Barb Roberts Doug and Patricia Robison Ellen Roesslein Bertha Rozendaal Rich Saemisch Ryan Satterly Maggi Schiller Gerald Secor Kathryn Seidel Andrew and Kathleen Shell Dave & Arlene Sisam Vivian Smith Ed & Heidi Soehnel Jr. Christina Spiepker Richard & Roberta Spitz Merry Spohnheimer John Spohnheimer Victor & Iola Spohnheimer Don & Genevieve Steffen Gerald Stevenson Robert Stevenson Mary Helen Stewart Tammy & Steve Strachan Jake Strait Gregory and Anne Sushko Gerry and Cindy Swan Kalli Swan De Talbot Tarkio 4-H Club Thomas Thatcher The Ulrickson Family Marie Tiemann Gary and Marilyn Titus David Tutje Arthur and Martha Umbach Terry Van Oort Carol & Edward Vavra Paul Vinsand Jeffrey and Kathryn Wald Donald and Kay Wall Sarah Wallace Gordon E. Walter Spencer Walton Beth Weis Lloyd M. Welker Sr. Joyce Wicks Brian Wicks Dennis Wiedenman Wil-Do Cleaners Craig & Norma Williams Jeanne and Marvin Williams Kevin Williamson Edward Winter John Wozniak Ruth Wulke Iowa Utility Board Pizza Hut Electric Motor Service, Inc. Iowa Laureate Psi