Second Presenation

As a Personal Rapid Transport system, the Spartan Superway is powered on renewable resources, in particular a solar array. Our job as the Wayside Team is to bridge the connection between the power supply and the engine. Currently, we have successfully determined the methods in which we will be supplying power to the pod. In successfully powering the the pod, the intermediate system will be able to run as intended and be closer to completion.

In order to confirm that our fourth rail system will be able to supply energy without failure, the total power necessary must be determined to ensure that none of the components will encounter fusion. This requires the report of other teams so that all devices connected to the power source can be accounted for and taken into calculation to assure the strip can handle the load.

However, the current design has been tested to handle approximately 60 Amps at 120V without heating up excessively. If a higher rating is required due to other components, the design must be altered to compensate for the additional energy.

Any changes in power specifications must be reported as soon as possible to ensure the performance of the rail.

Amperage Testing

The copper specimens were tested on their ampacity in order to assure that the correct material could be selected for the conductive strip. The amperage rating was set to 10 amps at maximum through a voltage supplier and the copper strip was connected with the circuit.

The copper strip of 0.02 inches thick and 0.5 inches wide showed no signs of failure but the specimen was slightly warm (5 degrees F change) after removing it from the connectors. 

The copper strip of 0.01 inches thick and 1 inch wide showed no signs of failure and nearly no change in temperature (1 degree F change at most)

In researching the ampacity of copper a chart on the manufacturer’s website listed the general limits for different gages of wires. Since a 1 inch width may be too wide for the half scale model, it is preferable to choose a width of 0.75 inches. By calculating the cross section, the result is a 9.6774 mm2 area, equivalent to a gage 7 wire which has the ampacity of 45 amps. Therefore, we will proceed with the 0.75 inch width plating.

Copper Handling

We currently obtained the copper from the manufacturing company and are currently in the process of testing the designated amperage capacity. If it is found that the material fails (melts) at the specified current given by motor and solar team (approximately 10 amps) then we will have to source a different type of material and/or determine a different method to transfer the required energy. The picture below shows the 2 sample copper strips that were brought in; on at 1 inch and the other at half an inch.

Presentation on Wayside Power

This week we have been working on the presentation of our project. We organized the information we have been collected since day 1. References from Fall 15-Spring 16 report, and our group research are organized in preparation for the presentation on September 28. Details for the presentation include project deadlines, direct problem statements and potential solutions, designs and developments.

Material List

A material list was created and copper was ordered from a supplier to test and determine the compatibility of the supplier's resources. A revision was made in which the PVC housing would be concave as well as the matching collector. This concave design would force the shoe to remain in contact with the powerline as the bogie travels. 

Developing Potential Third Rail Systems

The third rail design was collaborated on; a potential solution was to use a PVC tube with a side cutout and a conductive plate attached to the lower portion. This would be used in conjunction with a shoe that would contact the lower plate. With the shoe having vertical contact, the design would minimize the chance of losing contact. Further discussion was made on whether the collector should be placed on a hinge with a spring system to allow for alternating incline gradients where the shoe could move according to the slope of the rail.

Beginning Stages

The first meeting for the Spartan Superway Project entailed the planning and researching of the current wayside power system. A Gantt chart was composed to ensure the project followed a specific schedule. The notes on the present third rail and Gantt chart are as shown below.