A Solar Car Primer (Energy Science, Engineering and Technology) - Softcover

Thacher, Eric F.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1608761614 ISBN 13: 9781608761616

Publisher: Nova Science Publishers, Inc., 2011

Synopsis

This book has both an environmental and an educational purpose. A pollution-free, sustainable transportation system must be established. The sun is a sustainable energy source. To educate students in the application of solar energy to transportation, including both limitations and advantages, this book first presents the underlying physics of a solar racing car. Then, using the structure of the problem-solving process, it presents the design, construction, testing, and financing of an actual car. This book discusses the advantages of education through learning communities centred on solving actual problems, such as creating a solar car, and how these advantages could be institutionalised.

About this title

From the Back Cover

·         Teaches readers to fund, design, and build a competitive solar race car

·         Draws on real experiences of successful teams to emphasize cost and energy efficiency

·         Enables a complete understanding of the application of solar power to vehicles, from underlying physics to practical implementation

·         Includes pivotal information on recent advances such as the World Solar Challenge’s addition of a "Cruiser Class" allowing multiple occupants

 

This exciting primer on Solar Racing literally starts from the ground up, describing how the interactions of a vehicle with its environment circumscribe its ultimate success, from aerodynamics to resistance and propulsion. By demonstrating how to mathematically model these underlying physical phenomena, the author helps solar racing competitors carefully select key characteristics of the vehicle ,such as weight  and shape, to produce optimal speed. Energy conversion and demand are given particular attention, followed by chapters  devoted to examining  solar racers’ design, manufacture and testing using a structured problem-solving process to keep projects on track and on schedule.  A chapter devoted to energy management strategies provides invaluable tips on maximizing average speed during a race. Complex issues such as ventilation system analysis and performance simulation are covered in dedicated appendices. The financial aspect of project design is not neglected, as both fund-raising and cost estimation are given in-depth consideration.

Edition details

• Publisher: Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
• Publication date: 2011
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1608761614
• ISBN 13: 9781608761616
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 264