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Project
Report 1
Senior Design 2014-2015
http://redoctane.uni.me
Revision 2.0
Team Members
Roberto Guerra
Giovani Guzman
Alberth Chavez
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Table of Contents 1. Scope ..................................................................................................................................................... 2
2. Objective ............................................................................................................................................... 2
3. Goals ..................................................................................................................................................... 2
4. Shell Eco Marathon ............................................................................................................................... 3
4.1. 2014 Competition ................................................................................................................................. 4
4.2. 2015 Competition ................................................................................................................................. 7
4.3. Rules ...................................................................................................................................................... 7
4.3.1. Driver Requirements ..................................................................................................................... 7
4.3.2. Vehicle Design ............................................................................................................................... 8
5. Fuel ...................................................................................................................................................... 13
5.1. Result calculations for Fuel ................................................................................................................. 15
5.2. GTL Gas Oil (Gas-to-Liquid) ................................................................................................................. 16
5.2.1. Basic info on Diesel Cycle ............................................................................................................ 17
5.3. CNG (Compress Natural Gas) .............................................................................................................. 18
5.3.1. Basic info on Otto Cycle .............................................................................................................. 19
6. Component ......................................................................................................................................... 20
6.1. Engines ................................................................................................................................................ 20
6.2. CNG Engine ......................................................................................................................................... 20
6.2.1. Engine Options ............................................................................................................................ 21
6.3. GTL engine .......................................................................................................................................... 22
6.3.1. Engine Options ............................................................................................................................ 23
6.4. Transmission Options .......................................................................................................................... 24
6.5. Frame Material.................................................................................................................................... 25
6.6. Tires and Wheels ................................................................................................................................. 28
7. Project Management .......................................................................................................................... 30
7.1. Cost Estimates ..................................................................................................................................... 30
8. Outreach ............................................................................................................................................. 31
8.1. Vehicle Body Outreach........................................................................................................................ 31
8.2. High School Outreach ......................................................................................................................... 33
9. References .......................................................................................................................................... 34
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1. Scope Team Red Octane is in the pursuit to compete in the 2015 Shell Eco Marathon in Detroit
Michigan. The team will be entering in the CNG (Compressed-Natural-Gas) and GTL (Gas-to
Liquid) sub-category for the Urban-Concept competition. Both vehicles are to be designed to be
highly energy efficient. It is a critical element for initiating, planning, executing, controlling, and
assessing the project. This report will demonstrate as a progress report about the project
management, analyses, and obstacles on the vehicles.
2. Objective The objective of Team Red Octane is to design, analyze, and build two competitive
Urban Concept vehicles for the 2015 Shell Eco Marathon competition. One will be of a new sub-
category CNG (Compressed-Natural-Gas) energy system and the other of a GTL (Gas-to-Liquid)
energy system. Both vehicles will be built to achieve the goals.
3. Goals Team Red Octane has set a set goals in order to compete and win for the CNG On-Track
award.
Goals Description
Complete CNG car Complete the team’s primary car by March 1st for testing and troubleshooting.
Complete GTL car Complete the team’s secondary car by March 15th for testing and troubleshooting.
Create Aerodynamic Body
Create an aerodynamic body for the CNG car with the joint of Industrial and Architect students.
CNG MPG Equivalent To achieve a 130 MPG equivalent in the CNG car.
GTL MPG Equivalent To achieve a 130 MPG in the GTL car.
Maximum weight of 450 lb.
Reach a maximum weight of 450 lb. for both cars.
Pass inspection Pass inspection in the first day of the competition.
Win Award Win the CNG On-Track 1st place award.
Drive consistently To drive in all three days to improve results.
High School Opportunity To mentor High School students in creating the GTL car
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4. Shell Eco Marathon The 2015 Shell Eco Marathon is a competition held in Detroit, Michigan that challenges
teams of young engineers to build the most energy efficient vehicles. The Shell Eco-Marathon is
held in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. These teams will compete from over 50 countries to
show their building ideas and methods of efficiency. The events are entered by a range of
participants from high school students to university students. The event's history stretches back
over seventy years. In 1939, a group of Shell scientists based in a research laboratory in Wood
River, Illinois, USA, had a friendly bet to see who could drive their own car furthest on one
gallon of fuel.
The competition is broken into two categories, The Prototype group and The Urban
Concept group. Both categories have sub-categories that define their energy sources of
efficiency that include: gasoline, diesel, 100% Ethanol, battery-electric, solar, hydrogen-fuel cell,
GTL, and the new CNG. The Prototype group focuses on maximum efficiency on a small three
wheel vehicle. However, The Urban Concept group not only focuses on efficiency but carries
the design of urban vehicles.
The vehicles drive a fixed number of laps around the circuit at a set speed. Organizers
calculate their energy efficiency in which names a winner from each category and for each
energy source. Off-track awards recognize other achievements including safety, teamwork and
design. The competition inspires the engineers of the future to turn their vision of sustainable
mobility into reality, if only for a few days. It also sparks passionate debate about what could
one day be possible for cars on the road.
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4.1. 2014 Competition The competition in 2014 was held April 24-27, in Houston TX in Discovery Green
In 2014, 123 educational institutions entered the competition.
Out of those 123 schools, only 68 of the schools completed the race.
Out of all the teams that completed the race 50% of those schools were High School
55%
45%
TEAMS FINISHED VS DID NOT FINISH
FINISHED DID NOT FINISH
50% 50%
HIGH SCHOOL VS UNIVERSITY THAT FINISHED
TOTAL HIGH SCHOOL TOTAL UNIVERSITY
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The more popular category is the Prototype category at 75%
The following is a breakdown of the categories of fuel category
75%
25%
TOTAL TEAMS COMPLETED
Prototype Numbers Urban Concept
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
GASOLINE DIESEL BATTERY HYDROGEN GTL ETHONAL
TEAMS ENTERED VS FINISHED RACE
ENTERED FINISHED
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The following is a breakdown of the prototype teams that completed the race and what fuel category were they paced in. Notice that Gas-To-Liquid Category had 0 teams to finish the race
The following is a breakdown of the Urban Concept teams that completed the race and what fuel category were they paced in. Notice that Gas-To-Liquid Category had 0 teams to finish the race
[PERCENTAGE]
[PERCENTAGE]
[PERCENTAGE]
4%
0% 8%
PROTOTOYP THAT FINISHED
Gasoline Diesel Battery Hydrogen Gas-To-Liquid Ethonol
[PERCENTAGE]
[PERCENTAGE]
[PERCENTAGE]
12%
0% 6%
URBAN CONCEPT THAT FINISHED
Gasoline Diesel Battery Hydrogen Gas-To-Liquid Ethonol
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4.2. 2015 Competition The 2015 Shell Eco Marathon competition will be held in Detroit, Michigan in April 9-12.
With GTL being a new energy source from the 2014 Shell Eco Marathon and CNG being new
energy source for the 2015 Shell Eco Marathon. Team Red Octane’s winning strategy for both
categories is to complete the race. The team will be entering both vehicles in the latest fuel
categories.
4.3. Rules Shell Eco Marathon requires every team to follow a set of rules for the aim of safety and
to challenge the young engineers into design. Below are the most important set of rules that
will be used to analyze, build, and design the vehicles.
4.3.1. Driver Requirements
Weight – 70kg
Driver license
Gear – Helmet, Racing Suit, Gloves
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4.3.2. Vehicle Design
4.3.2.1. Dimensions
The total vehicle height must be between 100 cm and 130 cm.
The total body width, excluding rear view mirrors, must be between 120 cm and
130 cm.
The total vehicle length must be between 220 cm and 350 cm.
The track width must be at least 100 cm for the front axle and 80 cm for the rear
axle, measured between the midpoints where the tires touch the ground.
The wheelbase must be at least 120 cm.
The Driver’s compartment must have a minimum height of 88 cm and a
minimum width of 70 cm at the Driver’s shoulders.
The ground clearance must be at least 10 cm with the driver (and necessary
ballast) in the vehicle.
The maximum vehicle weight (excluding the Driver) is 225 kg.
4.3.2.2. Body
Teams are requested to submit technical drawings, photographs or animations
of their entire vehicle design to the Organizers for approval at their earliest
opportunity. This is strongly recommended to avoid upsets by failing the
technical inspection at the event on grounds of design non-compliance.
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The body must cover all mechanical parts whether the vehicle is viewed from the
front, the rear, and the sides or from above. However, the wheels and
suspension must be fully covered by the body when seen from above and up to
the axle center line when seen from front or rear. The covering for the wheels
and suspension must be a rigid integral part of the vehicle body.
It is prohibited to use any commercially available vehicle body parts.
Access to the vehicle by the Driver must be as easy and practical as typically
found in common production type passenger cars. The “door” opening must
have a minimum dimension of 500 x 800 mm. This means a rectangular template
of this dimension must be able to pass through the door opening in the vertical
plane.
Any access opening mechanisms (e.g. doors) must be firmly attached to the
vehicle body, (e.g. by means of hinges, sliding rails, etc.). Adhesive tape, Velcro,
etc. are not permitted for this purpose.
The vehicle must have a roof covering the Driver’s compartment.
A windscreen with effective wiper(s) is mandatory. Please refer to Article 52:
Luggage space must be available for a rectangular solid box with dimensions of
500 x 400 x 200 mm (L x H x W). This space must be easily accessible from the
outside and must include a floor and sidewalls to hold the luggage in place when
the vehicle is moving. The luggage must be supplied by the Participant and must
be placed in this space during the competition. The luggage compartment and
luggage must be able to safely contain the ballast without moving around or
coming loose during competition.
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Vehicle bodies must not include any external appendages that might be
dangerous to other Team members; e.g. sharp points must have a radius of 5 cm
or greater, alternatively they should be made of foam or similar deformable
material.
A towing hook or ring is mandatory at the front of the vehicle. It can be rigid or
flexible (cable or strap). If it is rigid, it must be placed fully under the body for
safety reasons. Alternatively, it may be retractable or removable as in a regular
car but should be easily accessible. It must be used to tow the vehicle in case of
breakdown on the track. It must have a traction resistance equivalent to the
weight of the vehicle and have an opening width of at least 3 cm.
4.3.2.3. Lighting
Two front headlights
Two front turn indicators
Two rear turn indicators
Two red brake lights in the rear
Two red rear lights (may be combined with the brake lights)
The center of each headlight unit must be located at an equal distance and at
least 30 cm from the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.
The mandatory red indicator light for the self-starter operation must be separate
from any of the above.
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4.3.2.4. Braking
a) The vehicle must be equipped with a four-disc hydraulic brake system, with a
brake pedal, which has a minimum surface area of 25 cm2.
b) The brakes must operate independently on the front and rear axles or in an X
pattern (i.e. right front wheel with left rear wheel, and left front wheel with right
rear wheel).
c) A single master cylinder may be used, provided that it has a dual circuit (two
pistons and dual tank).
d) The effectiveness of the braking system will be tested during vehicle
inspection for both Drivers.
The vehicle must remain immobile with the Driver inside when it is placed on a
20 percent incline with the main brake in place. Moreover, a dynamic inspection
may be performed on the vehicle-handling course.
e) A parking brake function is required in order to keep the car stationary during
technical inspections and fuel measurements. It must provide a brake force of at
least 50 N.
f) Wet weather capability is mandatory.
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4.3.2.5. Turning Radius and Steering
Vehicle steering must be achieved by one system operated with both hands
using a turning motion. It must be precise, with no play or delay.
Steering must be achieved using a steering wheel or sections of a wheel.
Steering bars, tillers, joysticks, indirect or electric systems are not permitted.
The turning radius must be less than 6 m. The turning radius is the distance
between the center of the circle and the external wheel of the vehicle. The
external wheel of the vehicle must be able to follow a 90° arc of 6 m radius in
both directions.
A vehicle handling course may be set up in order to verify the following when the
vehicle is in motion: driver skills, turning radius and steering precision. In
particular, Inspectors will verify that steering is precise, with no excessive play.
4.3.2.6. Wheels & Tires
The rims must be between 15 to 17 inches in diameter.
The wheels located inside the vehicle body must be made inaccessible to the
Driver by a bulkhead. Any handling or manipulation of the wheels is forbidden
from the moment the vehicle arrives at the starting line until it crosses the finish
line.
The choice of tires is free as long as they are fitted on the type and size of rims
recommended by their manufacturers and have a minimum tread of 1.6 mm.
The tire/rim assembly must have a minimum width of 80 mm, measured from
tire sidewall to tire sidewall. The width is measured with the tire fitted on its rim
at its rated pressure.
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5. Fuel The fueling that we’re going to be using for the shell eco marathon 2015 are two
byproducts of natural gas, GTL (Gas to Liquid) Gasoil and CNG (Compressed Natural Gas). Which
would make both cars NGV (Natural Gas Vehicles).
This is an important fact because for the past couple of hundred years, the world have
come to rely more and more on fossil fuels. Fossil fuels have powered the industrial revolution
and helped to turn the Western world into what it is today. However, it is becoming
increasingly obvious that our reliance on fossil fuels is causing us problems that we are going to
have to address. The fact is we are running out of fossil fuels, it won’t happen tomorrow but
eventually we will no longer be able to rely on them to power our economy. For nearly half a
century American presidents have told us we must end our dependence on imported oil. Today
we are more dependent than ever, with a total oil bill that has mushroomed to over $700
billion a year. Half of that goes to pay for foreign petroleum.
The need for alternative fuels have become more mainstream lately and developments
to alternative fueled vehicles have improved. Natural gas vehicles are a cleaner alternative to
fossil fuels and have proven to help reduce global emissions. Unlike petroleum for gasoline,
natural gas can be used to fuel demand in multiple ways to suit the market and consumer
preferences.
The United States is the world leader when it comes to Annual Natural Gas production,
unfortunately most of the natural gas used in the U.S. is going to homes and businesses, and
not much of it goes to the fueling NGVs. The country Iran is shown to produce a fraction of the
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natural gas that the United States does, yet they are shown to have the highest numbers NGVs
in their fleet.
The following chart shows the top producers of natural gas in the world
TOP TEN COUNTRIES NATURAL GAS PRODUCTION OF THE WORLD
(MILLIONS)
RANK COUNTRY ANNUAL NATURAL
GAS PRODUCTION (M³)
Global %
1 UNITED STATES 681,400,000,000 16%
2 RUSSIA 669,700,000,000 15%
3 EUROPEAN UNION 164,600,000,000 4%
4 IRAN 162,600,000,000 4%
5 CANADA 143,100,000,000 3%
6 QATAR 133,200,000,000 3%
7 NORWAY 114,700,000,000 3%
8 CHINA 107,200,000,000 2%
9 SAUDI ARABIA 103,200,000,000 2%
10 ALGERIA 82,760,000,000 2%
— WORLD 4,359,000,000,000
The following chart shows the top producers of natural gas in the world
TOP TEN COUNTRIES WITH THE LARGEST NGV VEHICLE FLEETS
(MILLIONS)
RANK COUNTRY FLEET Global %
1 IRAN 3.5 19%
2 PAKISTAN 2.79 15%
3 ARGENTINA 2.28 13%
4 BRAZIL 1.75 10%
5 CHINA 1.58 9%
6 INDIA 1.5 8%
7 ITALY 0.82 5%
8 COLOMBIA 0.46 3%
9 UZBEKISTAN 0.45 2%
10 THAILAND 0.42 2%
WORLD 18.09
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5.1. Result calculations for Fuel
For the competition, the way the ranking will be determined will be determined from an
equivalent consumption of Shell Fuel Save Unleaded 87, regardless of the fuel used. A
calculation will be perform using the net calorific value NCV, which represents the quantity of
energy released per unit mass or volume of fueling during complete combusting yielding steam
and carbon dioxide.
Typical NCV values (mass basis) for different fuels are given in the table below. The NCV values (vol.) at 15 °C are calculated on the day of competition by multiplying the actual mass-based NCV by the fuel density at 15 °C ENERGY TYPE
NCV BY MASS (kJ/kg)
ENERGY TYPE NCV BY MASS
Shell Fuel Save Unleaded 95 (Europe and Asia), Shell Regular 87 (US) Petrol/Gasoline
42,900
Shell Fuel Save Diesel (Europe), Shell Diesel (Asia and US) 42,600
Ethanol E100 26,900
Gas to Liquid 44,000
Hydrogen 119,930
CNG 50,016
The fuel provided by the competition for the CNG category will be pure Methane
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5.2. GTL Gas Oil (Gas-to-Liquid) Gas to Liquid is a chemical conversion process in which a hydrocarbon feedstock
undergoes several steps to transform into a higher quality fuel. After the gas is extracted from
the ground and transported to the refining plant it can undergo its chemical transformation.
The first process is a natural gas reforming process in which the gas from the plant is combined
with oxygen that has been reformed from air in an air separation unit and then reformed to a
synthesis gas consisting of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. This synthetic gas, known as syngas,
is then passed to a fixed bed reactor where the syngas is passed under high heat and high
pressure over a catalyst that is typically iron or cobalt based producing a long chain paraffinic
hydrocarbon. The next step is the product upgrading where the long chain F-T hydrocarbon
product is hydrocracked to produce the finished product. After the hydrocracking, the products
sit in a distiller where the products are separated.
Shells Shell’s Pure plus Base Oils that produces generates have many functions.
GTL Naphtha is used as a chemical feedstock for plastics manufacture.
GTL Kerosene can be blended with conventional Jet Fuel (up to 50%) for use in aviation – known as GTL Jet Fuel – or used as a home heating fuel.
GTL Normal paraffin’s are used for making more cost-effective detergents.
GTL Gasoil is a diesel-type fuel that can be blended into the global diesel supply pool.
GTL Base oils are used to make high-quality lubricants.
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5.2.1. Basic info on Diesel Cycle In Diesel Cycle the heat addition is Isobaric (constant pressure)
The ideal Diesel cycle follows the following four distinct processes
Process 1 to 2 is isentropic compression of the fluid
Process 2 to 3 is reversible constant pressure heating
Process 3 to 4 is isentropic expansion
Process 4 to 1 is reversible constant volume cooling
Thermal efficiency of Otto cycle is given by
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5.3. CNG (Compress Natural Gas) Compressed Natural Gas is a mechanical process in which the standard natural gas is
compressed into a tank in order to be mobile. The process to compress the natural gas is a
more common process and as the demand of the gas is becoming more commercial that
companies are creating home units for personal use. After the gas is extracted compressed to
the tank, the gas is can be sent directly to the engine. Due to the lack of infrastructure, car
manufactures are trying to shift some of their vehicles into a Bi-Fuel gas system where the car
can operate on both gasoline fuel and CNG. Due to the high popularity of this emerging fuel,
standards have been made to ensure that safety can be held at utmost importance.
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5.3.1. Basic info on Otto Cycle In Otto Cycle the heat addition is Isochoric (constant volume)
The ideal Otto cycle follows the following four distinct processes
Process 1 to 2 is isentropic compression from V1 to V2
Process 2 to 3 is addition of heat Q23 at constant volume
Process 3 to 4 is isentropic expansion to the original volume
Process 4 to 1 is the rejection of heat Q41 at constant volume
Thermal efficiency of Otto cycle is given by
.
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6. Component
6.1. Engines The following are some of the requirements that the organization requires from
participants. The type and design of the internal combustion engines are not restricted,
however they must run only on the fuel provided by the Organizers and must not consume any
engine oil (2 stroke engines are not allowed). Fuel tanks (with the exception of hydrogen &
CNG) must be equipped from the organizer. An electric starter may be used during the
competition, provided that it can operate only when the ignition and fuel systems are activated.
The CNG system must be designed as follows:
Methane cylinder/cartridge Pressure regulator directly attached to the cylinder Emergency
shutdown valve directly attached to the outlet of the pressure regulator hoseinjector
6.2. CNG Engine Homogenous mixture of fuel and air formed in the carburetor is supplied formed in the
carburetor is supplied to engine cylinder.
Ignition is initiated by means of an electric spark plug.
Power output is controlled by varying the mass of fuel-air mixture by means of a throttle valve in the carburetor.
The fuel can use a GDI (Gasoline Direct Injection) system to combust
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6.2.1. Engine Options The team currently has 3 options for the CNG engine.
ZONGSHEN MOTOR XR50
PRICE 265+54.99 SHIP
WEIGHT = 50 pounds
4 SPEED Manual TRANSMISSION
CARBURATOR
KICK START
7.4 kW by 7500 rpm
Lifan 1P54FMI Engine
PRICE 285.00+59.99 SHIP
WEIGHT = 55 pounds
4 SPEED Manual TRANSMISSION
CARBURATOR
KICK START
7.4 kW by 7500 RPM
Honda GX200UTQX2
PRICE = 359.99+39.99 SHIP
WEIGHT = 35 LB
NO TRANSMISSION
CARBURATOR
ELECTRIC START
4.1 kW at 3,600 rpm
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6.3. GTL engine No additional engine modifications necessary to run GTL
No carburetor is used. Air alone is supplied to the engine cylinder. Fuel is injected directly into
the engine cylinder at the end of compression stroke by means of a fuel injector. Fuel-air
mixture is heterogeneous.
No spark plug is used. Compression ratio is high and the high temperature of air ignites fuel.
No throttle value is used. Power output is controlled only by means of the mass of fuel injected
by the fuel injector.
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6.3.1. Engine Options The team currently has 3 options for the GTL engine.
Carroll Stream Motor Co. CS178
Price = $799
Weight 73 lbs.
NO TRANSMISSION
Electric Start and Pull Start
6 HP @ 3600 RPM,
Farymann Diesel 15D
Price $ Waiting on quote
Weight 41 lbs.
NO TRANSMISSION
Electric Start and Pull Start
5.3 HP @ 3600
Yammer L40AE
Price $500
Weight 56.2 lbs.
NO TRANSMISSION
Electric Start and Pull Start
3.4 HP @ 2800 RPM
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6.4. Transmission Options The team currently has 3 options for the transmission, the decision on which transmission we will pick
will reflect on the engine selection that for each fuel
TORQUE CONVERTER CVT CLUTCH 3/4" COMET TAV2 30-75
PRICE 87.75+26.7SHIP
Direct Drive Transmission
Manual Transmission
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6.5. Frame Material The market research for our frame material options began with various frame material
options and was narrowed down to three: aluminum, stainless steel and polyvinyl chloride
(PVC). All three materials have variations of their own and once Red Octane is ready to narrow
down the material frame choices we will began focusing on the various types of material that
each material has to offer.
The car frame of our vehicle is essential to any vehicle because the frame is the main
structure of the chassis and all major components are attached to the frame. Despite the fact
that the car frame is a component that is not usually in sight, a frame is an essential part of the
vehicle and has to be picked accordingly. Major components of the vehicle will be attached and
mounted to the frame such as the body, drivetrain, seat belts and etc. Since the frame of the
vehicle is important to how successful our group can be the group began to do research on the
physical and chemical properties of each frame material in mind. For the purposes of this stage
that group is in the group only focused on the major properties that each material possessed:
density, ultimate tensile strength, yield tensile strength, and modulus of elasticity. The listed
physical and mechanical properties can found in the table below:
Properties of Frame Materials Aluminum Stainless Steel PVC
Density (g/cm3) 2.70 0.190-9.01 0.550-2.5
Ultimate Tensile Strength (MPA) 124.00 31-3000 9-50.9
Yield Tensile Strength (MPA) 55.20 42.4-2400 31-40.8
Modulus of Elasticity (GPA) 68.90 77-317 1.8-2.41
Approximate Price Per Pound ($) 0.92 1.50 0.60
The physical and chemical properties listed in the table above will help our group ultimately
come down to one choice that will be based on need, advantages, and budgetary reasons. To
begin our material selection based on the three choices we have as of now, judging by the fact
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that they may change, the team must understand the physical and mechanical properties that
each possess.
Density is a physical property that is fundamental to any material. Density is the ratio of
an object’s mass to the volume of the sample. All designs made by engineers are for example
almost always limited by either size or weight, and that is why density is always a property that
is taken into consideration. As we can see aluminum and the highest variation of PVC that we
chose are very similar in density, and out of the three choice materials steel has the greatest
variation and the highest density. Density is typically measured in g/cm3, and it is the function
of the mass and atoms that make up the material and the distance that exists between them. In
the case of aluminum the atoms are relatively distant and compose low density material which
are light in weight. On the other hand, steel has the atoms closely packed and having a much
higher density which in return gives greater weight.
For the mechanical properties we will look at the ultimate tensile strength, yield tensile
strength and modulus of elasticity properties for our materials. The ultimate tensile strength of
the material is a type of tensile strength that can be calculated by dividing the max load on the
material that it is under by the initial cross sectional area of the sample. The ultimate tensile
strength value can give use information about the material’s toughness, which is the material’s
resistance to fracture, and can be critical to how well the frame will perform when multiple
components of the car are being mounted onto the frame. Although the ultimate tensile
strength of steel that we have chosen varies greatly we can see that the ultimate tensile
strength of steel is much higher than both aluminum and PVC. The yield tensile strength of a
material is the max amount of the tensile stress that the material can take before it experiences
failure. Once again steel has the highest value in the yield tensile strength and is reflected on its
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price per pound which can perhaps limit our chances to get it later on in our phases. Aluminum
is in the middle and PVC has the lowest yield tensile strength. Lastly, the modulus of elasticity is
the ratio of the amount of stress to strain when the deformation is elastic and can also be used
to measure stiffness of a material. Steel has the highest modulus of elasticity, followed by
aluminum and PVC.
In the mechanical properties of each material steel typically had the highest number in
each of the mechanical properties. However we cannot base everything on the numbers since
for our competition we have limitations that may force to go for aluminum or PVC. For example
we have a weight limitation and since steel is heavier than both aluminum and PVC that may
force to cross it out. Another important deciding factor may be our budget where we can see
that in this category steel has the highest price as well.
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6.6. Tires and Wheels The tire options have been narrowed down to three options: Michelin tweel, scooter
tire, and the traditional tire. All three are just options that were a product of our market
research and were the three choices that fit the 2015 Shell Eco Marathon regulations which are
tires that were able to be fitted into 15-17 inch tires. The properties that were focused on for
the choices that the group came up with were durability, the approximate weight, required
inflation pressure and the approximate price.
Types of Tire
Michelin Tweel Scooter Tire Traditional Tire
Durability (Miles) *2-3 times that of a traditional tire 6,000-13,000 35-80,000
Approximate Weight (lbs.) 30-35 10-25 10-30
Inflation Pressure (psi) None 30-34 30-36
Size (in) 15-30 10-17 15-17
Approximate Price ($) 700.00-1000.00 54.99-150.00 60-235.00
A big advantage that stands out in the three tire choices is the fact that the Michelin tweel
requires no inflation pressure. The biggest advantage however is that the Michelin tweel has a
durability that is 2 to 3 times that of a traditional tire. The traditional tire has an approximate
durability of anywhere between 35-80,000 miles depending on the quality of the tire. In terms
of price the scooter and the traditional tire are the most affordable where on the other hand
the Michelin tweel can have much higher prices: 700-1000 dollars.
As discussed in the frame materials section, the team outlined the physical and
mechanical properties that will dictate our material selection for the frame of the car as well as
the wheels. We will chose our wheels of either aluminum alloy/magnesium, or steel. The
aluminum alloy wheels are typically the number one choice for wheels and they are relatively
light compared to steel wheels. Wheel manufacturing companies tend to focus on the
production of aluminum wheels and it reflects on the high price range that exist.
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Wheels
Wheel Option 1 Wheel Option 2 Scooter Tires
Approximate Price ($) 51.99-750.00 64.99-109.99 60.00-135.00
Material Aluminum Alloy/Magnesium
Steel Aluminum/Steel
Available Size (in) 13-17 13-17 15-16
Approximate Weight (lbs.) 15-17.1 18-25.4 7.5-13
The scooter tire has an advantage in the fact that it is the lightest of the three and since
our group has weight limitations, max weight cannot exceed 496.04 lbs., it can be a good
deciding factor when it comes to choosing the right tire for our vehicle.
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7. Project Management From the beginning of the project, Team Red Octane decided to execute by contacting
and gathering potential resources. It was best to know the missing pieces where which what
goal was lacking support, knowledge, and funds. The use of the Risk Matrix helped the team
analyze these missing pieces. The main goals which lacked were: “Complete both vehicles”
from “Create an Aerodynamic body”, and the “High School Opportunity”. After viewing the
gaps, we were able to set the checkpoints to our phases.
7.1. Cost Estimates Below is an estimate of the component costs for both vehicles. These prices ranges are
subjected to change through the donations from potential sponsors.
Component Costs Low High
Frame Material $ 300.00 $ 1,000.00
Frame Fabrication $ 500.00 $ 1,000.00
Body Material $ 500.00 $ 1,000.00
Body Fabricating $ 500.00 $ 1,000.00
Engine $ 500.00 $ 750.00
Steering System $ 200.00 $ 400.00
Braking System $ 200.00 $ 400.00
Wheels $ 100.00 $ 500.00
Tires $ 100.00 $ 200.00
Interior Options $ 300.00 $ 500.00
Exterior Options $ 300.00 $ 500.00
Miscellaneous $ 1,000.00 $ 2,000.00
Logistics $ 1,000.00 $ 2,000.00
Total per car $ 5,500.00 $ 10,750.00
Total $ 11,000.00 $ 22,500.00
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8. Outreach
8.1. Vehicle Body Outreach In the 2014 Shell Eco Marathon competition, the appearance of the vehicle was the
attraction to the visitors even if the internal energy system exceeded a high efficiency. Team
Red Octane knew that this goal needed a high resource of knowledge. Each team member
lacked the knowledge and application of building a vehicle body. From previous competition,
Team Primer from Cullen Engineering was able to create an eye catching body for the Prototype
category with the help of Industrial and Architect students. This challenge allowed the team to
plan in repeating the outreach with Industrial and Architecture Program students. We were
able to contact Professor Kim Kimbrough who is a design instructor for the Industrial Program.
Professor Kim Kimbrough asked his students for the opportunity to create a vehicle body for
the 2015 Shell Eco Marathon competition with the join of our team. Jesus Garate was
encouraged enough to help the team into design and learn to create a vehicle body with the
decided composite. The team was able to meet with Jesus in which he toured the Architecture
lab to us.
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The picture above shows the layout of the Architecture lab with the machinery provided
to the students.
The Shear Cutter above will be a tool used the most into building a firewall or floor pan.
The students are also allowed to use a 3d printer that can be used to preview products.
In order to use these machines, we are required to attend a Lab Orientation set by the Lab
manager.
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Also, Professor Kim Kimbrough led us to Professor Adam Wells who mentored Team
Primer in creating the prototype body. Professor Adam Wells is willing to help in the progress of
mentoring Team Red Octane to achieve the goal.
8.2. High School Outreach In order to give back to the community, Team Red Octane decided to build the GTL vehicle with
the joint of mentoring a selected High School. This GTL vehicle will have a built frame from a past
competition vehicle in which it will still need a body, the GTL engine system and modifications to fit the
requirements for the inspection process. The outcome of the join will be for the students to be able to
see program management process of an engineer and the studies an engineer student will need to
analyze for the build.
Roberto Guerra was able to contact a counselor from Elsik High School. The counselor was able
to contact officials from the district who were interested into the offer from the team. At the moment,
progress has been showing positive from how Alief Independent School District scheduling, but Team
Red Octane is looking forward to connect to a High School that is committed. The team will decide to
which High School will join to build the GTL vehicle.
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9. References "Rules and Regulations." - Shell Global. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2014.
"Discover the Processes at Pearl GTL." - Shell Global. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2014.
"Gas-to-liquids (GTL)." - Shell Global. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2014.
Internal Combustion Engines – Mak 49. "Ideal Standard Cycles." Internal Combustion Engines –
MAK 493E Ideal Standard Cycles (n.d.): n. pag. Istanbul Technical University. Web.
"Online Materials Information Resource - MatWeb." Online Materials Information Resource -
MatWeb. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2014.
"What Is the Difference between Otto Cycle and Diesel Cycle?" Answers. Answers Corporation,
n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2014.
