SOLAR FLARE June 2014
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
THE SOLAR FLARE June 2014 Acting as a Competitive Team By Kali McKee and implemented correctly, could significantly af- At this point, you are probably wonder- fect overall aerodynamics and energy consump- ing why you haven’t heard much from the team or tion levels. seen many “fulfilling” pictures of the progress on the design and construction of Ra 9. After driving This has put teams who race in both the American manta-style cars, Ra 7 and Ra 7s, for six consecu- Solar Challenge (ASC) and World Solar Challenge tive years, there have been a wide range of major (WSC) using a single design in an interesting po- regulation changes since 2008. sition. WSC regulations require the most drastic of changes, and for teams racing in the 2014 ASC When the team was presented with the task of de- using the same car that has been built to meet signing a brand new vehicle in the beginning of WSC regulations, their multi-race car is more likely 2013, they couldn’t design a competitive solar car to be less energy efficient than vehicles designed that fit just one set of regulations. Since Principia only for ASC. In order to compete as a top team Solar Car has a limited budget compared to most this summer, more effort must be dedicated to de- top solar car teams, an average of fifteen team signing Ra 9 than a single race vehicle. members, and participates in a range of solar car races depending on the year, each new design is Although the Principia Solar Car Team is charac- developed with the goal of competing in as many teristically open about the design and structure of races as possible over the car’s two year lifetime, our cars, team leaders made a strategic decision with minimal changes. to keep most of Ra 9’s design under wraps until final decisions were made and it was closer to race As you may have heard, one of the major changes time. Now, just under a month before the team between Ra 7 and Ra 9 will be the addition of a sets out to race in Texan heat, this newsletter has fourth wheel. The last four wheeled vehicle the been composed to illuminate our building process Principia Solar Car team designed was Ra 4, and so that you are up to speed and ready for upcom- this was before regulations required the driver to ing email updates as the team finishes Ra 9 and sit upright and the tires to meet a minimal level of completes final preparations for racing in the 2014 tread. These regulation changes, if not researched ASC. A Solar Car Race: Scrutineering, Qualifying, and COTA What to Expect By Ricardo Barrionuevo by Brian Ritter years preparing for a race day. Teams like the to prepare for the qualifying race, Formula Sun There you are, standing in the middle of Principia Solar Car Team spend countless, grueling Before the solar cars are allowed to run Grand Prix (FSGP). the crowd on a hot summer day in the heart of hours designing and building the solar car to meet on public roads for the American Solar Challenge Texas. People are running back and forth making race regulations. For all competing teams, events (ASC), they are put through rigorous static and dy- The qualifying track race will take place at the sure that the road is safe and that the whole track begin about a week before the race, when team namic testing (known as Scrutineering), followed Circuit of the Americas (COTA), the first and only has been inspected and is ready for racing. Crew members perform final preparations and inspect by a track race (Formula Sun Grand Prix) that also Formula 1 Grand Prix track in the United States. teams are going over their vehicles a final time all necessary racing equipment and tools. serves as the qualifier for the race. Teams must complete a minimum number of laps to make sure everything is prepared for the race. during the three-day race in order to qualify for Team managers and drivers are going over their This July, twenty-six teams will travel from all over Scrutineering this year goes for three days, start- ASC. The track itself is roughly 3.4 miles long with strategies to make sure everything goes according the United States and the world to participate in ing on Monday, July 14th. There are stations for 20 turns and 133 feet of elevation change. Com- to the day’s plan. The 100 degree heat raises the the 2014 American Solar Challenge. Scrutineering driver registration, electrical, batteries, mechanical, ing out of the pits, the cars face a steep incline tension and excitement of the crowd, and every- and the qualifying track race, the 2014 Formula body and sizing, array, and dynamic testing. Ev- followed by a hairpin corner at turn one. Many one taking part in the event is ready to start the Sun Grand Prix, will be held at the 3.426 mile Cir- ery station has a designated race official that me- teams at the 2013 FSGP struggled up this hill, and race. cuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. Each garage ticulously checks that aspect of each team’s solar cars leaving the pit for the first time were often will be shared by two teams. Prior to qualifying car to make sure it meets the race regulations and cheered on by members of every team. All this excitement for solar car races like the for the road race, teams will have three days for safety standards. World Solar Challenge, American Solar Challenge, registration and scrutineering, during which the Lap times for the solar cars ranged from 4:42:000 and the Formula Sun Grand Prix does not start the car and drivers will go through a series of tests to Once a team receives at least a yellow status at to 8 minutes or more; to put this in context, the lap first day of the race—teams spend months, even make sure the car and team meets all regulations. each Scrutineering station, they can proceed to record for Formula 1 is 1:39:347. For our previous dynamic testing, which includes the figure eight, car, Ra 7s, targeting 6 minute laps proved to be the braking, slalom, and U-turn tests. The statuses a best trade-off between efficiency and speed. The team can receive are: red – does not meet require- track is demanding and puts more stress on our ments; yellow – cleared for dynamic, not cleared tires than driving on public roads, which makes it for qualifier; blue – cleared for qualifier, modifica- the perfect test of our car’s roadworthiness, and tions needed before ASC; green – cleared for ASC. we look forward to racing on this track again this Our goal is to pass inspection at every station in July with Ra 9. the first two days in order to use the third day 2 3 2014 American Solar Challenge What Spins and Why? by Kenneth Stack by Gage Edgar vehicle” follows it. These serve to alert traffic to The 2014 American Solar Challenge (ASC) the presence of the solar car and to protect the sign in order to compensate. The new hub design is a competition between academic institutions solar car. In the chase vehicle, an observer moni- There are lots of parts on the solar car that accounts for this shift and readjusts the center of that will take place from July 21st to July 28th on tors a team’s progress and reports back to other spin. The most significant of these are the wheels mass to the most stable position. This minimizes public roads from Austin, Texas, to St. Paul, Min- race officials. Another important part of the team and the motor. We are using different types of unequal wear on the tires. nesota. The objective is to travel the 1,700+ mile is the “scout vehicle” that investigates road and wheels and a different motor, as well as a new hub distance in the shortest time using only energy traffic conditions about an hour ahead of the solar and a new rotor, and you are entitled to know why. The tires we are planning to use for Ra 9, MICHELIN from the sun. There are currently twenty-six teams car. Large truck and trailer units are also common radial 95/80 R16, are one of the best Department (including several from abroad) that have entered among teams and help transport materials, tools, First, an explanation of the brake system is neces- of Transportation (DOT) approved tires for solar to compete. and other equipment for the race. sary to understand the importance of the hub and car racing and offer incredibly low rolling resis- the rotor, which are essential mechanical compo- tance. Their tread is designed so that any water The route itself has very specific directions along Each morning before racing, teams are able to nents. When a person pushes on a brake pedal, that comes in contact with the wheel is directed public roads that all the solar cars follow. There charge their batteries from the sun for an hour. the brake system sends brake fluid to the brake away from the tire, minimizing hydroplaning. The are nine locations during the race where the cars During the eight hours of driving time each day, calipers. The calipers cause brake pads to clamp regulations for the World Solar Challenge require will stop and be on display. The first day begins teams will aim for a speed that optimizes both down on the brake disc, also known as the rotor.