- Mizzou Hydrogen Car Team
-
The Award-Winning TigerGen II
The Mizzou Hydrogen Car Team designs, builds and competes with a prototype hydrogen fuel cell vehicle run by students at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. They compete with their Award-Winning vehicle named "Tigergen II" in the Shell Eco-Marathon. In the 2011 competition they achieved 13.8mi/kWh or the gasoline equivalent of 476 miles per gallon which won them the 1st place prize for the Hydrogen category in the Urban Concept division.[1] The team also won an off-track award for "Best Team Spirit"
Contents
About the Team
Tigergen II team photo
Suntiger 6 team photoThe team, located on the campus of the University of Missouri and run entirely by students, seeks to promote awareness of alternative fuels, develop technology, and allow members to gain practical experience through constructing a hydrogen vehicle. Advised by Professor Richard Whelove, of the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department, the team was formerly known as the Mizzou Solar Car Team and switched over to hydrogen after 6 generations of solar cars.[2] The team's first venture into hydrogen powered vehicles was with Tigergen I which ran on two 1.2kW Ballard fuel cells and competed in the North American Solar Challenge as a demonstration vehicle.[3] The current vehicle Tigergen II operates on a single 1.2kW Ballard fuel cell and competes in the Urban Concept category of the Shell Eco Marathon.
Current Technology
The body and chassis of Tigergen II is integrated as one load bearing system in a monocoque design. This construction technique saves weight without compromising the structural integrity of the vehicle. To further reduce weight, Tigergen II's monocoque structure is composed entirely of composite materials and carbon fiber is used extensively throughout the car. Tigergen II uses a Nexa Ballard hydrogen fuel cell to convert energy from hydrogen gas into electricity which is then used to power the vehicle's electric motor. Safety is a priority in Tigergen II. The driver is secured with a five-point racing safety harness along with the driver being separated from all components of the fuel system by a fire resistant bulkhead and easy access to a fire extinguisher. Tigergen II competed in the 2010 Eco-Marathon and will be competing again in 2011 with some major tweaks and advancements.[4] For the 2011 competition, Tigergen II has been equipped with lighter lithium ion batteries and new ball bearings in the wheels with ultra-low rolling resistance. Gearing has also been adopted to allow the motor to operate in its optimal range.
File:H-car top and bottom.jpgHydrogen Car with top removedObjectives of the Race
The purpose of the Shell Eco Marathon race is to drive as far as possible on the least amount of fuel. The competition is based on efficiency rather than speed and awards are given to teams that use the least amount of fuel while driving on a 6 mile circuit. The Urban Concept category subjects vehicles to constraints that resemble those of a consumer vehicle such as brake lights, luggage space, and four wheels along with stop-and-go driving. The next competition takes place March 2012 at Discovery Green in Houston, TX.
Race Results
2010 Shell Eco Marathon
2011 Race Results Run mi/kWh MPG Driver 1 10.76 372 Jennifer Claybrooks 2 12.87 445 Jennifer Claybrooks 3 12.83 443 Jennifer Claybrooks 4 13.19 456 Jennifer Claybrooks 5 13.79 476 Jennifer Claybrooks 6 12.87 445 Andy McMullen The team competed for the first time with their vehicle named "Tigergen II" in the Shell Eco-Marathon although it did not finish the race due to technical difficulties.[5] The team was awarded a trophy and monetary prize for the "Perseverance in the Face of Adversity" as a result of the hard work they did to get the car working at the race.
2011 Shell Eco Marathon
In 2011 the team competed for the second time with Tigergen II with much greater success than before. Tigergen II completed all six runs to receive six qualifying results. Run 2 experienced a technical problem but the fuel cell was rebooted and the run was completed. Of the six runs the highest efficiency obtained was on run "5" with 13.79 mi/kWh or 476 MPG. The team was awarded with First Prize for the Hydrogen Category in the Urban Concept Division. The team was also awarded a trophy and monetary prize for "Best Team Spirit"
References
- ^ Releases, News and Media. "Winners for Shell Eco-marathon Americas 2011", "Shell", April 17, 2011, accessed April 20, 2011.
- ^ Fisher, Paul. "Racing to Canada in a Hydrogen Car", "Wired", July 11, 2008, accessed March 23, 2011.
- ^ Myers, Justin. "MU students set to race hydrogen car", "Missourian", July 2, 2008, accessed March 23, 2011.
- ^ Heavin, Janese. "MU team readies hydrogen car for race", "Columbia Daily Tribune", January 16, 2010, accessed March 24, 2011.
- ^ Simonds, Ethan. "MU hydrogen car shows potential in Houston race", "The Maneater", April 6, 2010, accessed March 23, 2011.
External links
Categories:- Eco-marathon challengers
- Fuel cell vehicles
- Energy conservation
- Science competitions
- University of Missouri
- Concept automobiles
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
