The evolution of the solar car in five generations

Polygon World Solar Challenge for 20 years is a testing ground for the latest ideas and technologies, engineers and scientists in the field of construction materials, tires, aerodynamics, traction batteries and solar panels of course. The main constraints are the capacity of the battery, envelope machines and space solar cells. Fills the battery with excessive sun on the slopes or during braking, and then helps accelerate the car or when clouds move. Capacity to a maximum of 5 kilowatt hours. Charge it fully only at the start, and fill it only from the sun during the race. Battery can not be changed, as credited time penalty.

Solnemobili externally all alike. The final shape of such a machine was formed in mid-1990: Body flat, the wing looks like, the entire surface of the free solar panels, cockpit pilot Delicate, almost to the ground wheel fairings. In such a machine three wheels: two in front and lead back, which is equipped with an electric motor built into the hub - the drive line. However, the creators solntsemobiley are many subtleties that distinguish their vehicle from a car rivals, since no matter where the winners come from? One of those winning teams Nuon Solar Team Technical University of Delft. In 2001, one hundred percent of their solar car Nuna was the fastest. Speed averaged 91.81 miles per hour. At the next race in 2003 Nuna2 won at a rate of 97.02 km / h. At the three-kilometer race in 2005 Nuna3 won at a rate of 102.75 km/h. Nuna4 won first place in 2007 with the result of the speed of 90.87 km / h, while it was entirely of its predecessor. This was due to race regulations, which decreased by 25% allowable area of solar panels. This happened due to the fact that the maximum speed on those sections of the route is 110 km / h on local traffic rules, and participants in the race to develop the already speed in excess of 130 km / h. Therefore, the organizers of the contest decided that the primary goal, ie, the emergence of a solar-powered cars has been achieved. Now the challenge for the participants of the other - to build in more severe conditions such as fast cars for daily travel. Nuon Solar Team in June 2009 presented officially solar car Nuna 5, the most advanced solar car in the world.

Vehicle weight 160 kg. Trehperehodnye solar cells based on gallium arsenide photovoltaic cells installed in 2120 on a new car. Battery Lithium-polymer is responsible for the conservation of energy. Body Nuna May around the cell safety of titanium is built, consists of panels created from aramid and carbon fibers. Made of lightweight materials and chassis: carbon fiber suspension arms, aluminum other elements on ceramic bearings, aluminum wheels. The front brake discs are ceramic, rear wheel only braking regenerative.

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On two wheels and Hydrogen

A new breakthrough in hydrogen energy: the other day a group of inventors in New York was presented moped engine which runs on clean fuel - hydrogen. One filling a novelty, according to the sponsors, enough for 160 kilometers, and soon after this miracle of technology they plan to create a hydrogen engine for the car, on which work is already underway.

The basis of the motor scooter is a miracle cartridge filled with sodium silicide and dense metal powders. In fact, this kind of battery, but with a different algorithm. It is necessary to pour water into the cartridge - and inside it starts a chemical reaction, which resulted in the generated electricity. Moreover, the fluid does not need to be clear: You can even use water from a nearby puddle! The principle of hydrogen batteries is fairly simple and understandable to all who remember their high-school physics and chemistry. It consists of a set of elementary cells, each of which has approximately 1 cm thick and consists of a pair of electrodes made of carbon with the addition of platinum catalyst. It should be noted that the inventors were able to significantly reduce the cost of construction, replacing the commonly used in such batteries platinum catalysts analogues made from an alloy of platinum with other, cheaper metals. Electrodes separated by an electrolyte, in which can act as a polymer or a solution. One of the electrodes of fuel supply (which is hydrogen), and the second - an oxidizing agent, which acts as extracted from the air oxygen. Electrolyte ions are missing, but does not transmit electrons. On the first of the electrodes (the anode) hydrogen splits into protons and electrons, the last pass through the electrolyte to the second electrode (cathode), where there is a connection with oxygen - water is formed. At the same time, electrons move to the outside of the cell, the electrical circuit is connected to the load - the electric motor.

To make this scheme work, it is necessary that hydrogen is continuously fed into the fuel cell. This is the basic problem of hydrogen engines in the world: where to find so much hydrogen, which, unlike oil and gas, you can not get out of the ground, you can only get an artificial way. Lack of hydrogen filling stations became one of the factors slowing the development of transport in this type of fuel. Do hydrogen moped shortcomings, in addition to problems with dressing? Of course there is, and one of them is called ... almost complete silence during the movement. Engineers are already thinking about how to add engine noise by artificial means, as silent vehicle can be dangerous to other road users. Developers hydrogen moped intending to solve the problem installing the "clappers", which will operate in urban environments, and while driving through the countryside it can be turned off. Perhaps, in quietness and ends with a list of new items of serious shortcomings, which are of practical value and can be a serious argument in favor of hydrogen technologies in the debate, which began in the 80 years of the last century. After all exhausts of internal combustion engines can not endlessly pollute the environment, not least because that oil and gas resources on the planet does not last forever! Hydrogen moped has all the chances of getting into production and will soon be available to buyers, so far only in the United States.

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Full Circle - Bicycle Concept for the metropolis

Jun-Tae Park, and Sanghyun Jeong from South Korea, following the eternal desire designer "invent the wheel" given its concept simple to transport and compact bicycle "Full Circle". They believe this model will be popular in large metropolitan areas, where people often change their modes of transport and to make long trekking between points transplant. Use for this purpose bike might be the most reasonable solution. But ordinary bike does not fit mobility in urban transport. A folding "Full Circle", the owner will take with him his office or easily protisnetsya in full subway car. Dominant idea, which allows the bike to lay down the simplest method - is the absence of chain transfer. The location of the pedals - directly to the front wheels as 3ehkolesnyh bicycles for children. This is a dubious decision does not seem very practical in terms of the accompanying physical effort. But compared with the usual pedestrian master "Full Cirlce" will still have an advantage. It should be noted that the model as a whole looks very original, and the impressions of a foreign blogger, in expanded form, like a lemur.

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Vehicle speed 1,600 mph - a reality!

In the next year planned to complete the construction vehicle capable of speeds up to 1,600 km / h. The goal set itself the project of "Bloodhound SSC", developed in the UK.
According to Richard Noble, Project Manager, full-sized version of the car to be established in January 2011 and will attempt to set a speed record in 2012. Noble himself once already had the record for the highest speed, but now he aims with this project to promote science and art of engineering among young people.
The material body is planned to use a thin alloy, a 90-centimeter-wheel weighing 97 kg will be cast from aluminum alloy. On the choice of the alloy depends on many things, so research on its election is still last. Wheel speed will be a record for our time of 10 200 rpm (170 revolutions per second), while the rim will have an impact load of 150 MPa.
Importance of choosing the alloy due to the fact that the race will be scheduled on the surface of a dried-up lake, and therefore damage the surface of the wheels are inevitable. That would protect the alloy wheels from damage, especially since the planned number of races. Now the walls of the Cambridge University Cavendish Laboratory Specialists make tests to identify the impact of sand on the different types of alloys.
As the motion speed car will result in two engines: a jet engine fitted to fighter Eurofighter Typhoon, and the rocket engine Falcon. The first way to create thrust at nine tons, the second will add an additional 12 tons of thrust.
As a platform for establishing a new world record will be used dried-up lake bottom Hakskeen Pan, which is in South Africa (Northern Cape). To determine the speed record for an hour will be two-dimensional distance of the race at a mile, then their results will be determined by the average velocity. After the first arrival will be replaced by a jet engine, the wheels also hope to save at the second race.
Route length of 20 kilometers, width - 1.5 km. At a speed of 1,600 km / h any clash with stone would have disastrous consequences not only for the wheels, but for a car. Therefore, to clean up the highway from the stones have already begun about 300 workers who were hired by the local population. At the same time in the UK has started a company search assistants predlagyuschaya "free and hard work in conditions of constant heat, in a remote but beautiful place."
The current speed record was set at 19,997, the Thrust SuperSonic Car, and is 1 228 km / h. People working at the time of Thrust, now working in the project Bloodhound. This is a project manager, Richard Noble, an expert on aerodynamics, Ron Ayres and pilot car Andy Green.
Wishing to sponsor the project has more than enough, so the project does not suffer from a lack of funding. Although the project is private and not commercial, it nevertheless received support from the government and the United Kingdom, which provided two jet engines Typhoon. Among other sponsors are present Hampson Industries, manufacturer of engines F1 Cosworth, aerospace company Lockheed Martin.

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Environmentally-friendly bus of the future

In the town of Twente (Netherlands), a group of university students UT Delft developed a prototype bus of the future, which once could carry 23 passengers at a speed of 250 km / h, while remaining absolutely clean. The presentation of this Dutch miracle technology that runs on battery power, to be held shortly in Germany.

Superbus, the so-called this futuristic bus, the shape of a limousine and a six-wheeled platform. Its body is made of ultralight carbon fiber. The bus is also equipped with air suspension, which automatically adjusts the illumination of a road. He also has four electric motor.
As befits a bus of the future, Superbus meets all international standards of comfort. Its interior has similar features with business-class airplane. Naturally, the cost of travel in this bus will be slightly higher than in the ordinary public transport.

At this point, the brainchild of inventor Wubbo Okkelsona and his team of engineers and students who have already held the first test. The maximum speed that could develop Superbus, is 80 km / h. However, the goal of developers - 250 km / h.
Development of this concept is supported by the Dutch government is willing to invest in the project from 7.5 to 8.4 million pounds. The country's authorities are interested in that as soon as possible to establish mass production of environmentally friendly buses.

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Miracle insole to help the elderly avoid falls

Joint Program at MIT and Harvard University aims to develop a device that helps the elderly avoid falls, related to violation of motor coordination and lead to serious injury. This instrument is an insole for shoes, which, since a variety of sensors that allows you to record and analyze changes in motor coordination.

Inventor of the wonderful insoles - Herizo Lieberman, who is a graduate student at Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute. During an internship at NASA, Lieberman has been included in a group of scientists involved in the problem of recovering the coordination of movements of astronauts for a long time, stayed in orbit. That's when the idea came to her to use these developments to help the elderly.

Miracle insole is a device the size of a regular footbed insole, stuffed with various sensors that are accumulating data about the pressure on different parts of the foot. Enough to provide this data to analyze the doctor and he will be able to determine whether the high probability of an accident with an elderly man.

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A hybrid of Russian cars

Among the so many transports like bus, car, train, plane etc. car is most popular for personal use. Mikhail Prokhorov, who is the creator of ONEXIM, decided together with Yarovit Motors for the Russians to create an eco-friendly car, also make it energy efficient. This project is very relevant within the whole of Russia. Perhaps it would be a good alternative to conventional cars, and will become a very popular means of transportation.

By the end of 2010, will create several prototypes of "city car", they will be the basis for further improvements. Even scheduled starting date of production and construction of the striations of the production line. By 2012, these machines already have to go into series production. In addition to the network were presented renderings then 2 solutions for the body of this long-awaited "City Car"

The exterior design - it is something special that requires an individual approach. As they say, every man to his own taste. Nevertheless, this car really looks good thanks to the smooth lines. Also noticeable body color, which consists of two shades. Priglyanuvshiysya more closely, one can find similarities with European cars, and a lot of the Japanese. But it is certainly only a plus. In the first place because people are not always well received something new, so the experiment in this case is not recommended.

Also, this car was able to surprise his skeleton is in principle could be called something new around the Russian automotive industry. Deserves attention that 70-horsepower electric motor gets its power from lithium - ion batteries. Obbem DIC is 0,6 liters. His chip and that he is able to run on both natural gas and gasoline. But the maximum speed all only about 120 km / h.
Projected to make this car completely and exclusively Russian. Over its design, the company operates Cardi, who works in Moscow. Crossover - variant was also developed by Russian offices. Will be implemented once a couple of variants of this car. Therefore, it remains only to wait to finally see the miracle of the Russian automotive industry.

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New Saudi train ready to shuttle hajj pilgrims

The Mashair Railway, also known as Mecca Metro, rolls out on Sunday to serve pilgrims beginning the annual hajj rituals near the Muslim holy city, bringing a new solution to crowding.
The dual-track light railway, with its initial number of nine stations, connects the three holy sites of Mina, Muzdalifah and Mount Arafat -- areas that see massive congestion during the five-day pilgrimage.It will replace 4,000 buses previously used.
The first official trip will set off from Mina at 8:00 pm (1700 GMT), as pilgrims gather there, outside Mecca on the Tarwiah Day to prepare for the peak day of Arafat, when some 2.5 million are expected to gather on Mount Arafat and its surrounding plain. The Chinese-built railway, only to be used for five days a year now, will only operate at 35 percent of its full final capacity in the first phase.

It will be open only to Saudi and Gulf pilgrims, forecast at some 130,000 Saudis, 10,000 Kuwaitis and 10,000 Bahrainis, said Saeed al-Qurashi, head of the Hajj and Umra Committee at the Mecca Chamber of Commerce. The number is modest in comparison with the total number of pilgrims, but other nationalities will be able to use the train in the second phase. While all pilgrims begin the journey in Mecca, the train initially will run only from Mina, to the east, and on to Muzdalifah and Mount Arafat further east. All pilgrims leave Mina for Arafat by the 9th of the Dhul Hijja month of the Muslim lunar calendar, which is Monday this year. Later Monday they all descend by train back to Muzdalifah, halfway between Arafat and Mina, and Tuesday they all head back to Mina, where they stay up to three nights. The railway will eventually stretch the extra few kilometres to Mecca, home of the Muslim holiest shrine. At Arafat 1 station, the light-green train pulled in during one of the trial runs conducted to test its readiness. Chinese workers were seen still working to fix a ventilation system on the 10-metre- (33 feet) wide marble platform. "The platform has a capacity to accommodate 3,000 passengers at a time," said Yasser al-Sibaei, a Saudi supervisor at the station. He said the plan is to get 3,000 passengers into the train, and then bring the same number onto the platform for the next journey.
Platforms are protected by glass barriers whose doors open simultaneously with the train doors to ensure the security of waiting passengers.

The elevated stations also have wide ramps for pilgrims to flow out smoothly, backed by lifts that can carry up to 50 persons at a time.
Most of the station agents appear to be Egyptian and Saudis. Egyptians with experience in running the metro of Cairo were recruited to operate the control rooms. "It is an honour to serve the pilgrims and represent our country," said Saber Bernawi, a Saudi agent said. Mansur al-Blushi, a Meccan who is at university in South Africa said he took up the seasonal work to make some pocket money. "I study abroad. It is a chance to come to see my family and make some pocket money," he told AFP. Station agents are paid 5,000 riyals (1,333 dollars/970 euros) for the two-week contract. British Serco service firm has been contracted to provide operations and maintenance consultancy, in cooperation with China Railway Construction Corp (CRCC).

The 1.8-billion-dollar project is the first of two rail links aimed at easing pilgrim traffic. The much larger Haramain High Speed Rail is set to stretch 444 kilometres (275 miles) between Mecca and Medina, the second Muslim holy site. Local Al-Rajhi construction group together with France's Alstom and China Railway Engineering won the first-phase of the 6.8-billion-riyal (1.8-billion-dollar) contract for civil works. The train which will travel through the Red Sea city of Jeddah is planned to run at a high speed reaching 360 kilometres (225 miles) per hour and ease traffic of pilgrims between the two sites.(c) 2010 AFP

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