DECember 2009 issue
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News
Axiom Solar Racecar Gets Set To Prove Itself in Next Race
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SOLAR BEAUTY |
The University of Calgary multidisciplinary Solar Racecar Team has unveiled its third-generation creation, dubbed the Schulich Axiom. “This creation redefines that hackneyed term awesome,” said Tom Sneddon, P.Geol., APEGGA Manager, Geoscience Affairs, who attended the Nov. 23 event.
The team began life in 2004, specifically to compete in the 2005 edition of the North American Solar Challenge car race (sometimes spelled “rayce”). The NASC is an annual event that seeks to create innovations in solar-powered vehicles through competition. As the name suggests, it draws teams from all over North America.
The challenge promotes research into new and better materials, and creates designs based on them, while ensuring the safety of the participants and the public. Beginning in 2005 and continuing through 2009, the race began in Dallas, Tex., and ended in Calgary, for a total distance of over 4,015 kilometres.
The race rules specify a series of timed stages between intermediate geographical points. All teams start together and follow the same route stages, without regard to class of vehicle.
Before being allowed to compete, the teams must submit an engineering report that shows the entry meets the NASC criteria for suspension design and arrangement, structural integrity, driver protection and control systems. The total area of solar cells permitted by the rules is six square metres.
There are two classes — the open, which seeks to keep costs down to below US $10 per watt to achieve ever higher efficiencies, and stock, which is powered by off-the-shelf photovoltaics.
The first University of Calgary entry, the Soleon, was designed, financed, constructed and raced in nine months in the 2004-2005 academic year. “Given all the other constraints in the competition, the team members were looked upon as miracle workers,” said Mr. Sneddon.
Soleon finished 13th out of 17 entries — and, incidentally, inspired philanthropist Seymour Schulich to donate $25 million to the engineering school that now bears his name.
Soleon raced a second time during 2005 in the World Solar Challenge in Australia, where it finished sixth overall and first among six Canadian entries. It was also first in the stock class.
A second generation design, the Schulich 1, took first among Canadian schools in NASC 2007. It placed eighth in the challenge class and 15th overall at the WSC the same year. Schulich 1 came in sixth overall in the 2008 NASC.
The car has been retired, due to the wear-and-tear associated with its racing career.
Enter Schulich Axiom. The design team has optimized weight to achieve higher speeds and greater energy efficiency, using Formula 1 design software. The designers claim a larger number of more energy-absorbing photovoltaic cells and lighter, higher-energy storage batteries will move the car at 90 km/h for four hours between rechargings. They also claim a maximum speed of 140 km/h.
Axiom has a newly designed chassis of carbon fibre composite, claimed to be stronger than an equivalent weight of steel. It’s half the weight of the Schulich 1 frame. The higher cruising and top speeds result from much reduced drag on the newly designed body surface.
Computer engineering student Jeff Wickenheiser, a member of the APEGGA Student Advantage Program, is the engineering manager and project team chair. He’s quoted in a recent University of Calgary press release as saying: “We came up with a more efficient design that is a real testament to the potential of solar technology. We’ve also made this car more user-friendly by adding a seat and making the driver’s quarters more spacious.
“We’re gradually moving towards a solar car that is more practical.”
The team estimates the ultimate cost of construction for Schulich Axiom to be about $650,000. This is around $100,000 less than its predecessor. The complete solar car team is 50 strong, with the majority of them from the Schulich School of Engineering.
The 2010 racing season begins with the American Solar Challenge from Tulsa, Okla., to Chicago.