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Evolution

of Solar Spirit

The Solar Spirit project started soon after the 2007 World Solar Challenge. At least 18 months of research and planning has focused on achieving maximum efficiencies for the innovative solar electric vehicle.

• Maximum energy from the sun is required to have a truly competitive solar car.
• Find the most efficient Solar Cells we can afford to purchase.
• Achieve maximum efficiency: Motor and Motor Controller, Regeneration of electricity when braking, energy storage.
• Lightest possible weight (for lowest possible rolling resistance).
• The best aerodynamic and smallest frontal projection area allowable by the new rules.
• Design the solar car to drive like a standard vehicle.

The dominant factors of a solar car performance are:

1. The lowest running resistance
2. The lowest aerodynamic drag
   The C_D (drag coefficient) x A (frontal projected area) is crucial to maximise performance
3. The amount of energy captured from the sun
4. The efficient use and recapture of energy
5. The team strategy and cohesive team effort.

Kelly, the first TAFE SA solar car

A veteran of solar racing spanning ten years, Kelly, was built by a sindicate which included TAFE SA. Kelly's results have been consistently very good and the experience and data gained has informed prepartions for our new car. 

"Solar Spirit" prototype

In 2009 the Solar Spirit team constructed and tested the prototype vehicle.

This used Triangular Advanced Solar Cells (TASC triple junction Gallium Arsenide solar Cells from Spectrolab, a Boeing company). Each of the 26,348 TASC cells were mounted on 60 + 1 (6 square meters) specially designed circuit boards (manufactured by Entech as part of their sponsorship). The circuit boards were mounted on a lightweight aluminium frame (donated by Capral) made into a flat "Stalled" wing, which could be tilted for maximum power from the sun most of the time.

The chassis is made of aircraft grade carbon composite material. Cobham Aviation Services Australia has generously donated time and Aircraft quality "Fiberlam" material. The 3.6m x 8.3 meter bare chassis, mabe by Cobham, only weighs 18kg. The material is ten times the strength of steel of the same weight. The technology has enabled us to possibly have the lightest solar car ever designed for a World Solar Challenge.

The CSIRO Kit motor is 98% efficient, using only about 1600Watts of energy. (With the expected low drag, weight and good aerodynamics). The motor can be used as a generator when slowing down, to convert the kinetic energy into electrical energy and store it into the batteries. In fact, the braking / cruise control system is designed to use regen as much as possible, before the actual hydraulic brakes come on.

Technical Information

Further work

A range of tests showed up some benefits in the prototype and some cause for major re-developments in design and implementation resulting in a managment descision to revisit the shell design.

In first semester 2010 engineering graduate Noel Wong developed the CAD models in consultation with the Solar Spirit team and outside experts. New specifications from the World Solar Challenge office also affected the design process.

Semester 2 of 2010 will see the Mechanical Engineering students at Regency Campus of TAFE SA working with a selection of composites materials to create the new shell

Electronics students will also begin project work to integrate systems from the prototype into the new vehicle