Driving to Low Energy

Is it possible to go from Cincinnati to Miami on a gallon of gas?

Five seniors in the College of AppliedScience Mechanical Engineering Technology program accepted the energychallenge and have designed an entry for the 2009 Supermileage® competition set for June 4-5 at the Eaton Corporation track in Marshall, Michigan. All entries are student conceived, designed, and fabricated by team members without direct involvement from professional engineers, faculty, and technical staff in the college or professionals in the racing community.

The Supermileage® competition provides engineering and technology students with a challenging design project that involves the development and construction of a single-person, fuel-efficient vehicle. Vehicles are powered by a small four-cycle engine. The vehicles will run a specified course with the vehicle obtaining the highest combined kilometers per liter (miles per gallon) rating plus design segment points winning the event. Students have the opportunity to set a world fuel economy record and increase public awareness of fuel economy. "This is a really exciting project," exclaims Mick Long. "We are using high end materials to create a highly efficient vehicle and while our goals are modest at 500 mpg, we are learning a lot! We're finding ways to use energy created by the vehicle itself to boost the coasting periods."Keys to maximum energy efficiency are (1) use less fuel in each stroke of the engine, (2) minimize the eff ect of friction from the road, (3) reduce air resistance (or drag), (4) reduce the weight of the vehicle and (5) drive smoothly and wisely. The team has aggressively attacked all five points in their approach.

It took three attempts to position an iron sleeve into the cylinder wall to reduce piston displacement of the donated Briggs & Stratton engine to 50 cc from the original 144 cc, resulting in less fuel needed per stroke to produce enough power to drive the vehicle. Narrow, high-pressure tires create little friction while its aerodynamic design and smooth plastic surfaces hold drag to a bare minimum.

Vehicle weight is minimized through the use of light weight steel tubing that provides strength and PVC plastic boat shrink wrap for the surfaces. The completed vehicle is both light and strongand ready for a driver with a steady handand the wisdom to coast through the straight-a-ways and power sparingly in the turns.

Even though team driver Rusty Koch has experience in other competitions this is a different track with whole new strategies. The team is exhibiting at a high school exposition in Indianapolis next week to learn how to get the best from their creation. Th e car is built, now it's time to fine-tune the vehicle and its driver.

Faculty advisor for the project is Applied Science associate dean Allen Arthur, a strong advocate for student competitions. "Competitions such as this one challenge our students and provide them with many of the trials they will face later in their careers. Time deadlines, performance minimums and the competition itself all serve to hone their skills and prepare them for the workplace. The SAE (Society for Automotive Engineers) competitions are superb proving grounds and we are indebted to our sponsors for their solid support."

Start your engines... the team is off !

For more on SAE, the Society of Automotive Engineers, and Supermileage® log onto http://students.sae.org/competitions/supermileage/

For Applied Science Super High Mileage Vehicle Team log onto http://www.ucsupermileage.blogspot.com/

Applied Science Supermileage® Vehicle Team:

* Dan Findley, MET
* David Ramsey, MET
* Jason Hadsell, MET
* Mick Long, MET
* Rusty Koch, MET

Thank you to the donors who made the competition possible:

Central Roller
Die Craft Machining and Engineering
FKI Logistex
Gates Corporation
Hern Marine
Klei Mower
KMX Karts
Marman Keystone
Procter and Gamble
Westerfeld Enterprises

For more on Mechanical Engineering Technology Opportunities at Applied Science - Click Here

Applied Science

www.uc.edu/cas