SOLAR CAR TEAM UPDATE

July/August 2000, Volume 6, Issue 5 www.prisum.iastate.edu

Special Thanks to Remmele Engineering:

Don Berg Mark Johnson Larry Berg Kevin McClurg Ken Denfeld Doug McDonald Ron Gerber Doug Rootes Kevin Gradin Dave Wagner 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. school year begins so look for a Mechanical Team is Company and DARPA in St. few new members to break into the solar car lime-light and watch Awarded Donations Louis were very gracious and gave four Team PrISUm mem- Team PrISUm soar higher than Jason Hill bers a tour of the Phantom Works ever before. Director of Mechanical Systems before helping us load carbon fi-

ber into our truck. We saw lots of This summer has been a very Jason is from Ankeny, Iowa, and is interesting things and now we un- productive time for Team majoring in Computer Engineering. derstand even more about how PrISUm's Mechanical Team. We this multidisciplinary project ap- have been working diligently on plies to real life problems in in- the construction of the vehicle dustry. body molds and wrapping up the During the last week in July, designs of the mechanical sys- we had the pleasure of working Inside This Issue tems. with a great company, and a great In recent weeks, we have been Director's Note 2 group of individuals. The gener- doing quite a bit of traveling to Strategy Update 2 ous folks from Remmele Engi- acquire products and make use of What are the vehicles of the neering, Inc. (REI) volunteered donated services. The Boeing future really going to be like? 3 their machining services to create Solar Array Update 4 the aerodynamic body molds for Electrical Update 5 Special Thanks to The PrISUm Odyssey. Boeing Company and R.Ob.I.N. Update 6 In the coming months, our fi- Outreach Update 7 DARPA: nal drawings will be coming to Thank you to our Sponsors 8 John Adams, Jr. life, and the mock up of the chas- sis will begin to have parts Dr. Larry Birckelbaw mounted to it. This fall we will Jerry Merkel be welcoming a new class of Ron Verbarg members to the team as the Director’s Strategy Team Update Note By Mike Dorman By Nick Mohr Director of Strategy Systems Director, Team PrISUm How many miles per gallon does your car get? 12? 15? 20, maybe? Everyone knows that you save money when your car gets As this summer begins to draw to good gas mileage, because you don't have to fill up as often. a close and as people begin to return In solar car racing, we're not concerned with saving gas money to Ames for the new school year, we (sunlight is free, after all). But, we are interested in conserving the can’t help but to reflect on a very energy stored in the solar car's batteries. Instead of 12 to 15 gallons productive summer. of gas like your car, we have 35 to 45 Amp-hours of power when our Thanks to all of our very gener- "tank" is full. ous sponsors, our fundraising has topped the $350,000 mark, which The Strategy Team is tasked with investigating the components of brings our goal for the next year to the solar car, gathering information about the race route, and analyz- about $200,000. I am looking for- ing weather forecasts in order to develop an optimal racing strategy ward to working with all of you to for our team. We have to find answers for difficult questions like, make that happen. "How fast should we drive today?" "Will we have good sunlight later We have been very fortunate over this afternoon?" and "How much power will we get from the sun in the last few months to have secured the morning?" a lot of help from some very gener- Fortunately, we are able to take advantage of computer resources ous donors. You have read earlier in to help us answer those questions. We're beginning the development this issue about the team’s recent of a new simulator program that will accurately predict how PrISUm trips to Boeing in St. Louis and REI Odyssey will perform throughout the race route. Those simulations in Minnesota. I would like to extend combined with real-time telemetry data from the Electrical Team and a special thanks to these corpora- tions, and others, who have been so weather information from the R.Ob.I.N. network will enable us to hospitable and generous to Team drive as effectively as possible (and hopefully win the race!) PrISUm. We still need some help, however. The computer resources we This summer, the team has made have are becoming outdated, and we are turning to corporate sponsors great strides in finalizing the design for equipment donations and support. Recently, Street Wizard do- for PrISUm Odyssey. Right now, nated their mapping development software that will be put to use in we are planning to hold a design re- our navigation system. view on September 16 at Iowa State to announce the technical design considerations for Odyssey. If you Mike is from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and would like to attend this event, is majoring in Computer Engineering. 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 on- going 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 up- dates and other interesting informa- tion. The current American Solar Challenge Route will follow old Route 66. Nick is from Bettendorf, Iowa, and is This will take solar cars through mountains and deserts. majoring in Mechanical Engineering. July/August 2000 What are the vehicles of the future really going to be like? Dwight Brown in battery technology and fuel cell drives electric motors to attain up Director of Systems Integration research will allow future vehi- to 108 miles per gallon in normal cles to store great amounts of highway driving. This summer I have taken on electrical energy. This electrical Solar energy for the vehicles the challenge of directing the de- energy will be used to power of the future will be used in two sign and construction of Odyssey small electric main ways. The while working as a full-time in- motors at two or first and greatest tern at General Motors in Detroit. all four wheels. use of solar en- Here in Detroit, I have had a The energy ergy will be to wonderful opportunity to see stored in the charge the vehi- what automotive manufacturers batteries or fuel cle's batteries around the globe have up their cells will come while it is in the sleeves for the 21st Century. from a wall out- parking lot or Over the years, Team PrISUm let, the sun, driveway. Small has often been asked if solar cars small genera- groups of solar will show up in garages sometime tors, or the fuel cells can be down the road. Here is your an- cell's conver- placed on the swer: sion of hydro- Electric motors can be manufactured roof or under a gen into water. small enough to actually fit in the glass surface at Yes and No. The emis- wheel. Seen here, is the in-hub motor the base of the sions from these from PrISUm Phoenix. windshield or If you are happy, you can stop vehicles will be rear window. here. If you would like to know absent for electric power, water The second use of solar energy is more, keep reading. for fuel cell power, and very low that of home and corporate charg- The vehicles of the future will CO2 emissions from high effi- ing stations. The energy that the be packed with efficient and re- ciency engines. These small en- roof of your home or that of a generative power-trains, some of gines may not propel the car di- charging station collects during which may attain their energy rectly, but instead act as little the day can be stored in battery from the sun through photovol- generators, turning themselves on packs. You can then plug your taics. Many of the vehicles now and off when power is needed to car into these packs in the eve- being designed by major manu- charge the batteries or power the ning and transfer the sun's day- facturers incorporate many differ- climate control system. These time energy into the vehicle. ent types of systems to propel ve- vehicles have been termed hy- Every year researchers are im- hicles down the road. Amazing brids for their use of multiple sys- proving existing technology and jumps tems of propulsion creating new ones. The future and energy stor- holds exciting changes for the age. A recent automotive industry and Team concept car, the PrISUm is excited to be part of Precept, uses that development. batteries as well as a small en- Dwight is from Ankeny, Iowa, and is gine, which majoring in Mechanical Engineering.

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 pro- tion for reasons other than the formance of the array, we are ductive one. The solar array team collection of the sun’s energy. consulting professional solar ar- has determined the type of solar The configuration in which the ray designers to ensure that we cell that we are going to use for array collects energy is dependent will be able to compete at the PrISUm Odyssey and is working on the type of maximum power highest level in this race. We are on the several details so we can point trackers and the batteries excited for the end of summer have the modules on the array that we are going to use in the (really we are!) so that we can re- ready for encapsulation by the car. In the same respect, the aero- group back in Ames and continue end of fall. There are many dynamics of the car are affected our progress with the assistance planned changes in the design of by how much the array interrupts of those students who have been Odyssey’s array to make it easier airflow around the car. A poorly away for the summer and of those to build and repair. We have al- designed array could actually de- that are new to the team. ready sized the array and have crease the car’s performance by worked with the mechanical and using power it has collected to electrical teams to ensure that the overcome the air resistances it de- Brennan is from Wheaton, Illinois, array will be as efficient as possi- velops on the surface of the vehi- and is majoring in Electrical Engi- ble. Many aspects of the array cle. To help decrease the drag neering. need to be taken into considera- and the increase the overall per-

Team PrISUm Releases New Website!

As the construction of PrISUm Odyssey gets underway our spon- sors, supporters, and fans are go- ing to be interested in our pro- Subscribe to the E-Mail gress. The new website is based Newsletter Now! upon keeping information up to date and improving accessibility Do you enjoy reading The Sun- of information. Web surfers will dial and learning what Team find it easier to locate what they PrISUm is doing? If so, the new are looking for while at the same E-mail Newsletter is for you! time becoming more interested in It is easy to subscribe to the E- the team’s project. Please take a mail Newsletter, just log on to the look at: web at www.prisum.iastate.edu and scroll to the bottom. There you will find the box to insert your www.prisum.iastate.edu email address. As a result, you will learn about important infor- mation as soon as it is released!

July/August 2000 Electrical Team Update By Brenton Rothchild Co-Director of Electrical Systems

Square D is Team California over the course of two Ask Team PrISUm a PrISUm’s most weeks. question! After participating in this trial recent Corporate run we strengthened our friend- Battery Pack In future issues of The Sun- ships with the other teams and dial, there will be a section for Contributor with saw the route for the upcoming questions sent to us by Sundial their donation of American Solar Challenge 2001. readers. Ask questions about $5000! Back in the garage, we are cur- our team, solar cell technology, rently working on prototyping our or about our upcoming events. Recently, John Burns had the designs for Odyssey’s most criti- We hope to educate as many opportunity to join three other so- cal electrical components, such as people as possible about Team lar car teams on the American So- battery monitoring and propulsion PrISUm, solar technology, and lar Challenge trial run. Students control. We are also working alternative fuels. Just ASK!! from MIT, University of Mis- closely with the mechanical team souri-Columbia, and University of and drivers to iron out the details Send Your Questions Waterloo operated the solar car of the driver interface. Our latest from the Massachusetts Institute efforts include implementing fail- Team PrISUm Questions of Technology, while the Rose- ure-tolerant systems and redun- 110 Marston Hall Hulman Institute of Technology dancy into our designs. Iowa State University (RHIT) solar car (Solar Phantom Ames, IA 50011-2151 V) was operated by a composite team from RHIT, Iowa State Uni- Brenton is from West Des Moines, Email: [email protected] versity, Ohio State University, Iowa, and is majoring in Computer and the University of Missouri- Engineering. Rolla. They traveled from Chi- cago, Illinois to Los Angeles, Formula Sun Organization Sun Organization Formula Formula Sun Organization Sun Organization Formula John Burns accompanied students from other universities during the Rose Hulman Institute of Technology brought Solar Phantom V trial run of ASC 01. along during the ASC trial run. July/August 2000 R.Ob.I.N. Team Update By Matthew Nelson Director of Team R.Ob.I.N.

Greetings from Team We also have received a R.Ob.I.N! As the long summer second pneumatic tower from days have been progressing, we KCCI—TV in Des Moines to be have been diligently working on used to elevate the antennas. the R.Ob.I.N. system. Team R. These towers should work very Ob.I.N. will handle all well for our application. A communication matters for the second repeater system will be team. We are excited about this, worked on into the fall semester, and we are looking forward to and we will be programming the starting a new tradition at Team controller. We also need to finish PrISUm. testing the system and build a In other news, a meeting was suitable casing for the receiver held July 12th so that we could and exciter units. With this update everyone on what has complete, the only components we need will be duplexers for the What Is R.Ob.I.N? repeater, a 440 radio for the link, and dual band antennas. Once we Radio Observance have these, we will be able to Intelligence Network have two repeater systems that can be linked to each other to Mission Statement: extend the range. From Team "To provide reliable long R.Ob.I.N., thank you for your range communications of both support, without you, we would voice and data for Team never get the chance to fly. PrISUm and be responsible for the exchange of this information for Team Matthew is from Shenandoah, Iowa, PrISUm." and is majoring in Electrical Engi- neering. 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 Two pneumatic towers, donated from network up and running by the KCCI—TV, are currently being tested end of the summer. by the R.Ob.I.N Team.

July/August 2000 Outreach Update By Erin Isvik Outreach Coordinator

We've had many calls come area on September 23 for the En- through and I think that is ron Windfest and we would love to GREAT! I love to hear from folks see everyone there. We will also wanting to see the car and to learn be at the College of Engineering about the team. On August 5th we Tailgater preceding the UNLV went to Waverly to display Phoe- football game on September 9. nix at the Iowa Renewable Energy We love getting a chance to talk Expo. The students that attended with our supporters, so if you can, the event said that it was great to stop by and say 'hi'. talk to the different vendors about their products and share informa- tion about Team PrISUm. Erin is from West Union, Iowa, and is majoring in Computer Engineering. We will be in the Storm Lake Team PrISUm displayed PrISUm Phoenix at the Iowa Renewable Upcoming Outreach Events Energy Expo in Waverly, Iowa on August 5. ISU Club Fest Memorial Union, September 6, 2000 Ames, IA College of Engineer- East Lawn, September 9, 2000 ing Tailgater Stadium, Ames, IA Outdoor Classroom NW Research Farm September 12, 2000

Enron Windfest II Storm Lake, IA September 23, 2000

Team PrISUm Cabinet The Sundial is a publication of

Nick Mohr Project Director Team PrISUm Benjamin Nimmergut Assistant Director 110 Marston Hall Dwight Brown Director of Systems Integration Iowa State University Jason Hill Director of Mechanical Systems Ames, IA 50011-2151 John Burns Co-Director of Electrical Systems TEL: (515) 294-0899 Brenton Rothchild Co-Director of Electrical Systems FAX: (515) 294-9273 Brennan Downes Director of Solar Array R/D [email protected] Mike Dorman Director of Strategy Systems www.prisum.iastate.edu Matthew Nelson Director of Team R.Ob.I.N. All photos, unless otherwise credited, Scott Goric Director of Facilities and Safety by Team PrISUm Jason King Director of Personnel Erin Isvik Outreach Coordinator © 2000 by Team PrISUm Katherine Strachan Secretary Emily Boyd Historian Editor: Benjamin Nimmergut

Team PrISUm is partially funded by GSB.

July/August 2000 Team PrISUm Thanks our Sponsors:

PrISUm Majesty Team Sustainer Odyssey Contrib, cont. Boeing 3M Home Companies - Glenwood Darpa Alcoa L & L Insulation Geographic Data Technologies Amana J & R Supply Company Center for Non-Destructive Evaluation Lawrence Trucking Sovereign Saint Lowe’s—Ames Central Iowa Chapter Iowa Pain Enterprises Dept of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering Society Pizza Hut—Waterloo Systems Engineering Dremel Rockwell Collins Dept of Mechanical Engineering Gary and Jane Mohr Shimkat Motor Co. Remmele Engineering Gless Brothers, Inc Steve Lappe Dale and Mary Hildreth Tech Tools Solar Saint IEEE—Cedar Rapids Douglas and Bonnie Brown Russ and Cher Carrillo Featherlite, Inc. Jameco Lemos International Mick and Janet McBride Government of the Student Body Donald and Verneil Branstad Iowa Energy Center Lucent Technologies Danny Holmes Microchip Eric and Ann Wilson Solar Luminary StreetWizard.com Jean Hempstead BP Amoco Tandy Corporation University Legal Services Waldens Foto Shop College of Engineering Adopt-a-Battery Dallas Semiconductor Rayce Sponsor Department of EECpE Ned and Ann Allen General Plastics Arnold and Kim Hill Tom and Azza Andreesen Army Aviation Support Facility Employees Bill Grothus Square D Bartlett & West Colormaster Bob and Kathy Binderup Shining Benefactor Digi-Key Guy and Phillis Bradley Bridgestone—Firestone Hancock United Methodist Church E.H. and Betty Breckenfelder EMJ Steel Harry Burns Jim and Carolyn Cornette Hexacon LinkComm Bruce Crouse O. Robert Eddy Motorola Mary Burns Mary J. Treglia Community Center Paul and Bernice Exstrom Munn’s Lumber Bob Felderman Power Patron Keith Felderman Muscatine Chapter Iowa Engineering Alliant Energy Dan Griffen Society American Power Conversion Elizabeth Hunter Norwest Bank Bandag, Incorporated Dennis Jennerjohn PTA of Hunt Elementary School Lowell Lauver Donaldson Company, Inc. Barry and Carol Barnes Mary Beth Lieberknecht Eaton Bert and Sheila Merrell Ralph Marrs EDS Mr. and Mrs. Donald Scheffler Richard Michael IBM Wandling Engineering Ron and Dianna Nelson Ida Rothchild Joe and Linda Peppers Washington High School—Cedar Institute for Physical Research and David and Susan Peterson Rapids Technology / Don and Charlotte Rasmussen Margaret Weatherspoon KCCI—TV Douglas and Dorothy Rogers Lord Corporation Larry and Judy Rollstin Odyssey Contributor Noel and Ruth Smith Maxim L.N. Spohnheimer, M.D. Advanced Heat Treat Corporation MidAmerican Energy Gerald Stevenson Bluedorn Science Imaginarium Kurt and Eileen Nimmergut Robert Steveson Bolton & Menk National Instruments Kendall Strohman Dept of Chemical Engineering Roland and Wilma Struss Principal Financial Group College of Education Jeffrey and Kathryn Wald SPX Corporation DeLorme Eric Wittrock UPS EMC Insurance Companies Xantrax First State Bank - Tabor, IA W.A. Richardson Gary and Jenny Downey Joe Meyers Glenwood State Bank July/August 2000 Adopt-a-Cells

Karla Abrahamson Myrna Elliott Lembke Family Lembke Ellen Roesslein Ann Mowery & Allan Powers John Ely John Lieb Bertha Rozendaal Kenneth Allbaugh Joshua Engelbrecht Paul Lo Gallo Rich Saemisch Diane Allen Marshall and Louise England Looby Investments Ryan Satterly Brent Allen Jeff Etringer Kathy MacKay Maggi Schiller Jerry Amenson Hank and Pat Fillner Steve and Karen Marshall Gerald Secor Ken and Martha Anderson Marvin and Lydia Fjeld Curtis and Kandace Martin Kathryn Seidel Aspro William & Eileen Fleming Mason City Overhead Door Andrew and Kathleen Shell Frank Augustine Kent Floy Company Dave & Arlene Sisam Teddi Barron Fremont Mills Community Don and Cathy Matthews Vivian Smith Susan Barron Schools Robert Meier Ed & Heidi Soehnel Jr. Linda and Fred Barrow Joanne Fuller Russ Melanson Christina Spiepker Baseler Family Baseler Marjorie Fuller Jacob Mertz Richard & Roberta Spitz Olaf Begtrup Casey Fulton Eldon & Marilyn Meyer Merry Spohnheimer Kim Bentley William & Mary Fulton Don Miller John Spohnheimer Max Berlin Betty Garvey Cary & Dianne Miller Victor & Iola Spohnheimer Arthur Bine Boyd and Mary Kay Gillam Susan Miller Don & Genevieve Steffen Henry Birkenholz Roger Glasnapp John and Linda Miller Gerald Stevenson Terry and Dina Blummer Chuck and Bonnie Glatz Jane Mohr Robert Stevenson Bob and Bev Bole Betty Goehring Terry and Julee Molle Mary Helen Stewart Emily Boyd Mary and Thomas Goric Brian Moorhead Tammy & Steve Strachan E.H. and Betty Breckenfelder Karl and Melba Gschneidner Mr. Child's 7th Grade Science Jake Strait Rita and Alfred Breitbach Jeff and Christy Haider Class Gregory and Anne Sushko Michael & Carol Brentnall Cindy Hauber Alan and Louise Muhl Gerry and Cindy Swan Douglas & Bonnie Brown Michael Hauptman Bruce Munson Kalli Swan Russell Brownsberger Thamon and Mary Hazen Myriad Consulting Group Inc. De Talbot George and Agatha Burnet George and Maridee Hegstrom Rev. Ronald and Chris Nelson Tarkio 4-H Club Harry Burns Arnold and Kim Hill Carl and Elaine Nelson Thomas Thatcher John Burns Paul Himebaugh James and Anna Nilsson The Ulrickson Family Russ Carrillo Gary and Jennifer Hindt Kurt & Eileen Nimmergut Marie Tiemann Randall Chambers Jay Hinkhouse, M.D. Victor Noer Gary and Marilyn Titus City of Waterloo Engineering John Hornberger, M.D. Chris and Anne Nygaard David Tutje and Planning C.L. and Evelyn Huffman Tad Olson Arthur and Martha Umbach John Cleasby Davie Hurlbut Kirstin Oppel Terry Van Oort John and Judy Clem Richard & Donna Huyett Walt Ortmann Carol & Edward Vavra Aircraft Maint. Platoon (4th) Allen Ihlefeld Cecil and Norma Parsons Paul Vinsand CoC 2/135th LUH Gary and Jeanne Ihlefeld Bill and Jan Patton Jeffrey and Kathryn Wald Leo and Carol Coffey Bruno and Gladys Ihlefeld Arloe W. Paul Donald and Kay Wall Ed and Sue Collins Stan Isvik Phyllis Pearson Sarah Wallace Emmett Cooney Jeff and Kay Pettijohn and Mary Pecenka Gordon E. Walter Roy Craig Kalli Swan Joseph Peppers Spencer Walton Creative Software Services, David & Kim Jennings Linda Peppers Beth Weis INC. David Johnson Errollynne Peters Lloyd M. Welker Sr. Mary and Bob DeBruin Jane Johnson Deanna and Ed Peters Joyce Wicks Donna Distefano Jim and Jo-Ann Johnson David and Sandra Petersen Brian Wicks George and Sharon Dorman Katherine Johnson Michael and Heather Petersen Dennis Wiedenman Emmett Dreeszen Vaughn and Shelley Johnson Eugene and Patricia Peterson Wil-Do Cleaners Dee Dreeszen Rich and Judy Jones Patrick & Gwendolyn Prevenas Craig & Norma Williams Mike Dunker Ronald Keller Eric Prosise Jeanne and Marvin Williams Lloyd Dunn Gary Kent Jimmie and Joan Puck Kevin Williamson Donald and Mary Dvorak Merle Kirby John and Linda Rebane Edward Winter Orville and Karen Earhart Willis & Colleen Kirchner Red Lobster John Wozniak Andrew Earhart George and Marjorie Knutzon Cassandra Reichter Ruth Wulke Richard and Mary Eastvold Emil and Alice Koval Greg and Barb Reichter Iowa Utility Board Michael and Diane Eckers David and Susan Kramer Duane and Flo Reichter Pizza Hut Thomas and Ida Eckey Kuehl & Payer Ltd. Randy Ritt Electric Motor Service, Inc. Todd & Wanda Eikenberry Jeff Lanning Adam Roberts Iowa Laureate Psi David Elder Dale Lappe Jim and Barb Roberts Donald Elk Melvin and Linda Leib Doug and Patricia Robison

July/August 2000