The Department of Energy (DOE) and General Motors (GM) are very interested in ensuring that all students understand the hydrogen economy and how a fuel cell works. GM depends on an educated work force to succeed in an increasingly dynamic, technologically complex and competitive environment. The Hydrogen Fuel Cell Car competition engages sixth, seventh and eighth grade students to design, build, and race model hydrogen-powered cars steered by guide wires. Each team is provided fuel cell car supplies including a reversible fuel cell, a motor, 18” black wire, 18” red wire, 4 press fit hose barbs, 2 feet silicon tubing, 4 tube couplings, and an Instruction Manual. The reversible fuel cell is the only item required to be used and teams may use only one motor on the car. The rest of the car design and components will be up to the creativity of the students. They will need to design the chassis, gears, wheels, axles, and gas collection/storage tank. Students are encouraged to use math and science principles, together with their creativity, in a fun, hands-on educational program that stimulates enthusiasm for science at a crucial stage in their education.
Hands-on design has a different feel from textbook problem solving or even traditional science labs. There is no single correct answer; any number of solutions developed by students can work. DOE and GM have found that students are excited about generating ideas in a group and then building and modifying models based on these ideas. Students can see for themselves how changes in design are reflected in car performance. Teachers/coaches will have the opportunity to guide their students through a process similar to those used by professional design engineers.
The objective of the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Car competition is to design and build a vehicle that will complete a race in the shortest possible time. Teams design and build a hydrogen powered vehicle using parts from a fuel cell car kit. The cars will race on a 10-meter course. The winner of the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Car race will be the team whose vehicle is the top finisher in a series of head-to-head, double-elimination rounds. Awards will be given to the top three fastest cars.
NOTE: All cars must be built by the students with limited assistance from the coach or other adults. This is a student competition!
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Car Competition - There are two components to the competition.
Race: Heats will be run in a series of head to head double elimination rounds until the top three cars have been identified.
Design: Prior to the race, students will be interviewed by CNH engineers about their car design. Design awards will be given based on chassis, transmission, solar array, appearance, craftsmanship, and innovation.
Materials
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Car Teams will be provided a Hydrogen Fuel Cell (1 Reversible Fuel Cell, Electrolyser mode: 1.5-1.8V, Fuel Cell mode .4W, 4 x 5 x 4 cm, 150 grams), a 280 Mabuchi motor, and various materials (4 press fit hose barbs, 2 feet 1/8" silicon tubing, 4 tube couplings, 18" black wire (18 gauge), 18” red wire (18 gauge)), and an Instructional Manual. The rest of the car design and components will be up to the creativity of the students. They will need to design the chassis, gears, wheels, axles, and gas collection/storage tank.
Vehicle Specifications
The vehicle must be safe to contestants and spectators, e.g., no sharp edges, projectiles, etc.
The vehicle must fit the following dimensions: 30 cm. by 60 cm. by 30 cm.
A 3 cm. by 3 cm. space on the side of the car must be available for the assigned car number.
The reversible fuel cell provided to the teams is the only item required to be used and teams may use only one motor on the car. The rest of the car design and components will be up to the creativity of the students.
During the race, only the hydrogen electrolyzed by the kit fuel cell, will be used to produce electricity to power the car. Electricity needed for the electrolysis procedure will be provided by a power supply. The only energy source permitted on the vehicle is the hydrogen that was produced from the electrolysis mode of the fuel cell provided in the kit.
An eyelet must be attached to the bottom front of the car (or you can use two eyelets – one in the front and on in the rear). A guide wire, 1 cm. (+/- .05 cm) from the surface of the track, will go through the attached eyelet on the car, serving as the steering mechanism, and keeping the car in its lane. The vehicle must be easily removed from the guide wire, without disconnecting the guide wire. This is the only allowable method of steering the car. No radio control is permitted. Lane changing or crossing may result in disqualification.
Track Specifications
The length of the race course is 10 meters over a hard, smooth, level surface - a parking lot. Each racing lane will be at least 60 cm wide. A guide wire will be located in the center of each lane not be more than 1.5 cm above the track surface.
Race Conduct
A battery or power supply will be used to provide the electricity needed for the electrolysis procedure. The battery or power supply is separated from the vehicle after recharging. All charging will be done at a Charging Station , set up close to the race track.
Before the scheduled race start, all teams must report to the designated charging station with their hydrogen fuel cell car. Distilled water will be used at the charging station for the electrolysis process. There is no time limit on the electrolysis procedure-a team may report to the charging station as early or late as practical; however, teams must be ready to start their race at the specified time. The only energy source permitted on the vehicle is the fuel cell with the hydrogen that it produced from the electrolysis procedure. At no time after electrolysis may any of water be discarded. Removal of any of the water from the tank container will result in disqualification.
At race time, the vehicle will be placed behind the starting line with all its wheels in contact with the ground. No more than two team members will be allowed in the start area.
An early start or push start may result in disqualification or a re-run of the heat. The determination will be left to the race judges.
All vehicles will be started when the official signal is given. The winner of the heat will be the first vehicle to cross the finish line or the car farthest down the track when the race is called. All cars will race until they have lost two races.
Lane changing or crossing may result in disqualification.
During the initial heats, the judges may declare multiple wins or losses.
One team member must wait at the finish line to catch the vehicle.
Team members may not accompany or touch the vehicle on the track. Vehicles stalled on the track may be retrieved after the end of the race has been declared by the Judge.
The vehicle and team member must remain at the finish line until the order of the race has been established.
Challenges must be made before the race judges begin the next heat. All challenges must come from the team members who are actively competing and directed to the lead judge. The decisions of the race judges are final.
Judges will inspect cars prior to the final heat or at anytime during/after heats.
Regional Representative Team at the National Competition
The National MSSB will host 24 regional winning teams from around the country June 23-26, 2005 in Colorado . DOE and GM will cover the airfare, lodging, meals, and transportation to the events . The Academic competition will have a round robin/double elimination tournament. The 24 teams will be divided into 4 divisions of 6 teams per division. For the hydrogen fuel cell car event, teams will bring their completed car and there will be supplies to modify it at the national contest. A double elimination race competition will determine the top three teams with the fastest cars. Teams who win at the national level receive prizes including trophies, cash awards, medallions, and gift certificates.
The team with the best combined score from the Chicago Region Academic and Hydrogen Fuel Cell Car competition will be selected to go to the National Middle School Science Bowl. In the event of a tie, the team with the higher academic competition score is the overall winner. The regional representative team will receive a new fuel cell car kit and a supplemental enhancement activity guide following their regional event.
Miscellaneous Information
Balloons may be good way to store H2. The key is to glue/seal the balloon around the tube, as it fills it stretches pressure & stress increase. Epoxy works best. A clamp may also be required. Be sure the joint is cured and the fumes are gone before attaching it to your FC. If balloons have a powdered film it must be thoroughly cleaned. H2 gas-filled balloon storage may be short-lived since the gas readily permeates the rubber material.
The fuel cell enables you to produce hydrogen from an external power source. At the regional or national competitions teams must use H2 generated by your fuel cell, no external H2 is allowed from a charging tank (though teams could use such a tank for developmental and testing purposes). The charging mode of the fuel cell is maxed at 2.5 volts @ 1 amp. If you operate at higher levels you can burn out your fuel cell. No battery really matches this level. There may be a recommended power supply that can be purchased by the team.
Here are some sites that address general and drive train issues.
Resources page for Science Bowl/Hydrogen Fuel Cell Competition.
http://www.scied.science.doe.gov/nmsb/RulesResources.htm
Chassis, Wheel Size, Gearing, etc.
http://www.nrel.gov/docs/gen/fy01/30826.pdf
http://www.nrel.gov/docs/gen/fy01/30827.pdf
http://www.nrel.gov/docs/gen/fy01/30828.pdf
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