Spring Update

A lot has changed in the Superway and in my subgroup since the last semester. Our team and several other teams have transitioned from previous designs to a more cost effective design. Our team for example modified our design of using MiaSole panels on aluminium mounts to using SoloPower panels on wooden mounts. Our new design will also be better suited for transportation due to its lightweight and disassembly capability. Now with a suitable design and prototype, we will begin purchasing materials and manufacturing mounts. Brian, who created the prototype, will lead manufacturing while Allan and I will aid and follow his plans on fabricating. Along with aiding in manufacturing, I will be taking lead in blog posts, creating/editing the gantt chart, purchasing and budget, and calculations. Also from the help of Garret from the Wayside team, I will be studying last semester's Wayside design. At the current moment, the plan is not to implement Wayside in any form to 1/12 scale model. However, it is my hope that our team along with the help of Wayside and EE team, we're able to create a charging station for the bogies. Yet, this plan will be viewed more as a secondary project and will only be completed if implementation of panels on 1/12 model are done on a timely manner.

10/27 Update

Many modifications have been made to 1/12 solar team desig since my last posting.  While the goal of creating a fully solarized system is still our priority, we have many modifications on how we're going to accomplish this.  Originally in our first presentation, we believed using a type of solar farm with full size panels might be the way to achieve fully renewable power.  However after some calculations and reevaluating, we believe that not on only creating a fully powered system with track panels is plausible but also best represents our idea of solar energy.  To ensure that our idea was plausible, calculations were made using small scale panels and bogie requirements.  According to our calculations, 11 panels (P=15.54W, V=7.5V, I=2.0A for each panel) will be needed to power 10 bogies (P=15.8W, V=7.2, I=2.2A for each bogie).  Each panel requires 1 meter in length, which means we will need at least 11 meters of track just for panels.  However, we have discussed extending the width by two or three times (by aligning 2 or 3 panels together) to shorten the length.
Now with the goal of creating a fully powered system with only track panels, we have began our design of the mountings.  We have a couple designs on CAD and are planning to discuss with Ms. Munshi and Dr. Mokri the advantages and disadvantages of each design.  We are also discussing Ms. Munshi and Dr. Mokri, the orientation, shape, and direction to best achieve best performance of the solar panels.  To gather the solar panels required, I have contacted several companies about either donating or discounting solar panels.  Lastly, in case our goal of only using on track panels is not plausible, we have discussed the idea of adding a full size panel to either the center or close proximity to the 1/12 model.  However this idea will only be implemented if the on track panels do not provide sufficient power and extra power is required to create fully solarized system.

10/7 Update

Last week in class, different subgroups presented their topics, ideas, challenges and goals.  After the presentations we did not have that much time to talk, however Allan, Brian, and I have started to meet outside of class occasionally.  I believe this has really benefited us as we were able to prepare for our presentation and discuss major topics involved within it.  Because of our outside meetings, we have been really able to focus on setting clear goals and we have started to be able to communicate better as a team now.  We have also been able to trade knowledge from each other so now we're all about the same page.
Our main goal now is to create a fully solarized system.  We initially thought this was impossible for the scaled model and proposed to create a half operational solar system.  However after discussing the idea of an external solar source, we are now set to create a system fully powered by solar.

9/16

After the presentation by Okamoto and our group meeting with the Spartan SuperWay as a whole, we met with Ron to discuss the future and past plans of SuperWays' power group.  Ron discussed what he has learned from former power groups and what mistakes they have made.  He recommended instead of focusing on planning, we should try to implement our ideas onto the model and see how it works.  He also gave us our first project, which is to attach the panels from last year to the full size model by 10/01.  We briefly discussed what ideas we had but do to time limitations, we were unable to agree on a plan.  We also felt that we all needed more research on mounting of a solar panel.
After some research, I felt like I was able to narrow our decisions on how to mount the panels.  Our top ideas varied from duct tape, drilling the panels, using adhesive, to using some type of clamping mechanism.  Aside from buying an actual mount for the panels which is more expensive and may be difficult to add to the current tracking system, those are probably our best options.  After some research using a clamping mechanism is our best choice.  Drilling will damage the panels and more than likely make them ineffective.  The adhesive was used before but is unreliable because on hot days the adhesive will loosen and eventually come off.  Duct tape is a quick option but very unprofessional looking and of course temporary.  I believe duct tape should be a last resort if were unable to mount the panels before our the 10/01 deadline because the panels were just going to be for show.  I believe using a clamping mechanism is the best choice because this could long term solution, however it is also the most difficult mounting method.  I have attached a picture to get idea of how it would look.  My plan is to use two sets of metal planks to mount the panels to the tracks.  The planks would clamp down the panel and we would be able to mount the planks to the tracks.  It would also be necessary to add a padding to the planks so the panels will not be damaged.  Lastly, a block would need to be added to each side of the panels in order to stop the panels from coming inward.

Solar Panels 9/9/15

On Wednesday September 9th, we finalized our groups and established team roles.  I was appointmented manager of the solar group for the 1/12 scale model.  Currently, I believe our biggest area of concern is the placement and efficiency of the panels.
As far as placement goes, I believe for best results the panels should be located in stations (such as the wayside rail).  This may create bulky looking charging stations but I believe this will prove most efficient.  This would allow the bogie to have more charging time rather than have panels laid across the track.  This would also help a lot with maintenance because when a solar panel needed to replaced or fixed, the worker would have space and not have to worry about any moving bogies.  However, when a panel on the track is malfunctioning, the SuperWay may need to be shut down for that time, in order to provide a safe working place for the mechanic.
Now as far as efficiency goes, I believe our current goal should be to power about 50% instead of making it fully powered by solar.  Commercial grade panels provide at best 20% efficiency, which obviously cost the most.  And according from information from 2014-2015 Spartan SuperWay report, it will require 4849 panels at 21 percent efficiency to sustain the system of fifty pods, which would require 5 miles of track for panels alone.  However, this is considering a 21% efficiency but our current panels provide 7-13%, which means we would only almost double the amount.  As well as moving the location of our panels, I believe we should upgrade the quality as well.  Solar panels are expensive and a higher quality panels will mean even more so but going with a higher quality panel will decrease the amount of panels by almost half, as stated earlier.  Higher quality panels also more reliable and on average have a longer life which would save us money in the long run.  I believe because of our current technology in solar, 100% powering would be unachievable.  Until the technology improves in solar panels, 50% powering would optimal

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Solar

After reading several of the resources that Dr. Furman provided us via INIST library, I was able gain more knowledge about solar and as well as other energy sources.  From Solar Skyways by Ron Swenson, I learned that about 87% of fuel energy is wasted mostly due to engine loss.  This fact shocked me because I never imagined that almost 90% of the fuel I put in my car is lossed.  The fact alone shows that we must convert to a renewable energy source because our current way is clearly not cutting it.  From reading, I felt that our design could be upgraded.  Currently the solar panels are to side of the track and need separate supports, however I was thinking of attaching a curved solar panels to the top tracks.  With this idea the panels mostly be supported by the tracks which would cost less and mean that we could implement this idea on our current scaled down model.  I currently can't recall whether or not this idea was proposed in former designs but I personally thought this was a great idea and would like to apply it if possible.

9/02 Meeting

On our Wednesday meeting, I contemplated on which area I should focus on.  After viewing each area, I felt that working on the solar for the scaled model would suit me best.  I felt as far as needs in the Spartan Superway, solar was really behind.  I also felt that working on the scaled model would be best because it would be easier to implement our design to the full scale then vice versa.  After meeting with the scaled modeled group, we discussed which subgroups we need for the scaled model.  Finally, we made a list for each subgroup and included names of people who would like to be included in each.  I then briefly met our the solar team and we briefly discussed our future plans on implementing solar panels on the scaled model.