Electric Snowmobil

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OBJECTIVE: To enhance the design of a zero-emission, low-noise snowmobile in order to provide the user with a safer and more reliable vehicle.

Special thanks to:◊ University of New Hampshire ◊ Dr. Gordon Kraft ◊ Dr. Barbara Kraft ◊ Lesley Yu ◊Adam Perkins ◊ Joyce Perkins ◊ Kathy Reynolds◊ Dan Mooney◊

Substructure ◊ Generator Connections ◊

Generator The generator provides the user with an

emergency backup charging system. It is able to provide 3KW of power for 2.5 hours under full load and will allow the user to charge the batteries enough to return to safety and avoid being stranded in the woods. The charging system plugs directly into the generator as a substitute for the wall outlet as the generator provides the same AC input signal.

Previous Project Comprised of 20KW electric motor Motor mounted on solid aluminum

frame 96V Battery Bank (eight 12V Lead Acid

Batteries) Batteries stored under seat

compartment Pulse Width Modulation Circuit controls

transistor ON/OFF IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor)

controls armature current

Touch PanelThe LCD display is an interface for the user to

monitor the systems of the vehicle including battery voltages, RPM, current drawn by the motor, and temperature of the IGBT. The panel is connected to the CompactRIO via a crossover Ethernet cable.

NI CompactRIOThis programmable automation controller is the

heart of the monitoring system, it contains three modules: Digital Input, Analogue Input, and Analogue Output, which monitor the vehicle’s data. The Digital/Analogue input modules are used to read in values from the batteries, RMP sensor, current sensor, and thermistor. The controller then analyzes these values with LabVIEW, and displays the information on the touch panel. The analogue output module is used to send out signals that will notify the user of certain warnings. This port powers warning LEDs for low battery voltages and high temperature of the IGBT circuit.

Charging System The 12V batteries can be charged when plugged into a

standard 120V wall outlet. In order to ensure equal charging, the batteries are charged in pairs of two. The charging system implements a two stage configuration in which a current limiter and a voltage regulator are employed. A Darlington NPN transistor is the focal point of both stages. Using diodes and resistors, both a limited current and a regulated voltage have been achieved.

SensorsMultiple sensors are used to provide feedback to

the user:oRPM: This sensor is mounted near one of the

gears of the DC motor. Every time a gear tooth passes the sensor a pulse is generated.

oCurrent Sensor: This Hall Effect sensor is used to measure the amount of current being drawn by the DC motor.

oThermistor: The temperature of the IGBT circuit is measured through a thermistor.

oVoltage Monitor Sensor: To keep track of the snowmobile’s various batteries, a voltage monitoring circuit was developed.

Future Project Automatic charging of the

batteries using the generator when the voltage levels drop too low

Charging with alternative systems such as regenerative breaking or solar panels

Emergency communication systems

Our Project Charging Circuit Generator Programmable Automation

Controller Touch Panel Display Sensors Voltage Regulators for

Electronics 12v DC Auxilary Outlet Mechanical Upgrades

System Diagram

Group Members: Lindsey Chiron, Roger Gauthier, Patrick Hingston, Parker McDonnell, Michael SwansonAdvisor: Dr. Gordon Kraft

Motor Control