DESIGN OF NOVEL ENERGY SOURCE FOR FOSTER-MILLER ROBOTS ME 701-702 Technical Design Report Design of Novel Energy Source for Foster-Miller Robots Project #3/S01 Final Report Design Advisor: Prof. Constantinos Mavroidis PhD Design Team Laura Caputo, Mike Mastovich, Sean O’Blenis, Mike Ringer, Christopher Walker December 4, 2007 Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering College of Engineering, Northeastern University Boston, MA 02115 1 Table of Contents CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 FOSTER-MILLER............................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 PROJECT STATEMENT AND SIGNIFICANCE .............................................................................. 3 CHAPTER 2 BACKGROUND...................................................................................................................... 4 2.1 CURRENT POWER SOURCES.......................................................................................................... 4 2.1.1 Lead Acid Batteries ....................................................................................................................... 4 2.1.2 Lithium Ion.................................................................................................................................... 5 2.2 ALTERNATIVE POWER SOURCE RESEARCH ............................................................................. 6 2.2.1 Nickel Cadmium Batteries............................................................................................................. 6 2.2.2 Solar Power ................................................................................................................................... 7 2.2.3 Compressed Air............................................................................................................................. 8 2.2.4 Wind Power................................................................................................................................... 9 2.2.5 Internal Combustion Engine........................................................................................................ 10 2.2.6 Fuel Cells..................................................................................................................................... 11 2.2.7 Piezoelectrics............................................................................................................................... 14 2.2.8 Thermoelectrics ........................................................................................................................... 16 2.2.9 Thermophotovoltaics................................................................................................................... 17 2.2.10 Nuclear Power ........................................................................................................................... 19 2.3 PATENT RESEARCH....................................................................................................................... 20 2.3.1 US Patent #6266576: Legged moving robot................................................................................ 20 2.3.2 US Patent #6687571: Cooperating Mobile Robots...................................................................... 20 2.3.3 US Patent #7014949: Battery pack and rechargeable vacuum cleaner........................................ 20 2.3.4 US Patent #4621562: Remote control robot vehicle.................................................................... 20 2.3.5 US Patent #6459955: Home cleaning robot................................................................................. 21 2.3.6 US Patent #4355508: Air power motor. ......................................................................................21 2.3.7 US Patent #6838203: Monolithic fuel cell and method for manufacture of same....................... 21 2.3.8 US Patent #5049775: Integrated micromechanical piezoelectric motor...................................... 21 2.3.9 US Patent #5554914: Micro robot............................................................................................... 21 2.3.10 US Patent #4440118: Oil cooled internal combustion engine. .................................................. 22 2.4 COMPETITOR ROBOTS.................................................................................................................. 22 2.4.1 PackBot and Warrior X700 ......................................................................................................... 22 2.5 Summary of Current Technology ....................................................................................................... 23 CHAPTER 3 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT ............................................................................................... 26 3.1 DESIGN REQUIREMENTS.............................................................................................................. 26 3.2 DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS............................................................................................................. 29 3.3 INTERVIEWS.................................................................................................................................... 30 3.3.2 Shawn Thayer.............................................................................................................................. 32 3.3.3 Hameed Metghalchi..................................................................................................................... 32 3.3.4 Jon Hastie, Jennifer Sarkis, and Tony Aponick........................................................................... 33 3.3.5 Mark Jost ..................................................................................................................................... 34 3.3.6 Rich Kurst.................................................................................................................................... 34 3.3.7 Kurt Annen .................................................................................................................................. 34 3.3.8 Interview Summary ..................................................................................................................... 34 3.4 INITIAL CONCEPTS........................................................................................................................ 36 3.4.1 Concept 1: Nickel Cadmium Battery........................................................................................... 36 3.4.2 Concept 2: Lithium Ion Phosphate Battery..................................................................................37 3.4.3 Concept 3: Solar Panels............................................................................................................... 38 3.4.4 Concept 4: Rotary Compressed Air Engine................................................................................. 39 3.4.5 Concept 5: Internal Combustion Engine...................................................................................... 40 3.4.6 Concept 6: Fuel Cell.................................................................................................................... 41 3.5 CONCEPT SELECTION ................................................................................................................... 42 3.5.1 Decision Matrices........................................................................................................................ 43 2 3.5.2 Additional Concept Elimination Data.......................................................................................... 44 3.5.2.1 Solar Panel............................................................................................................................ 45 3.5.2.2 Compressed Air Engine........................................................................................................ 45 3.5.2.3 Nickel Cadmium Batteries.................................................................................................... 46 3.5.2.4 Fuel Cells.............................................................................................................................. 46 CHAPTER 4 DESIGN AND ANALYSIS...................................................................................................47 4.1 DESIGN OVERVIEW ....................................................................................................................... 47 4.2 ENGINE SYSTEM ............................................................................................................................ 47 4.2.1 Internal Combustion Engine........................................................................................................ 47 4.2.2 Ignition System............................................................................................................................ 48 4.2.3 Carburetor.................................................................................................................................... 49 4.2.4 Carburetor Adapter Block............................................................................................................ 49 4.2.5 Muffler......................................................................................................................................... 50 4.2.6 Air Silencer.................................................................................................................................