Now the program trains seven students who are engaged in the powertrain assembly of the electric race car. This is a full-fledged team, divided into microgroups, in which each student performs a role. The project is carried out by graduates of three NSTU NETI departments: traction and electric motor are developed by the graduates of Electromechanics Department; power converters and control system of the race car are developed by the graduates of Electric Drive and Automation of Industrial Units Department; on-board batteries are designed by the graduates of Electrotechnological Units Department.
"We offered students to build an electric race car, and they supported this idea. Today, our goal is to develop the bolide’s powertrain which includes an electric motor, batteries and power converter. We plan to have the undergraduate students engaged in the development of the frame and chassis through project activities. The project is not only for the students of Mechatronics and Automation Faculty", comments Dmitry Toporkov.
The project development team plans to take part in Formula Student, where students compete on self-assembled race cars. To determine the winner, the judges evaluate several aspects: time to complete the distance, engineering design, report on the cost of production, business plan, fuel/energy efficiency. Three types of cars are evaluated in the competition: cars with internal combustion engines, electric cars, and driverless cars.
"The curriculum of "Autonomous power plants" program is built around the project. All lectures, seminars, laboratory work, and internships are selected so that the students can successfully complete the project. For example, when creating a car, students will learn how to design electric machines, power converters and automatic control systems", says Denis Kotin, project manager, head of the Department of Electric Drive and Automation of Industrial Plants, NSTU NETI.
According to the program managers, the advantage of the project is that all the power driving elements of the bolide will be created by our students. "You can easily buy an electric motor, a power converter and a control system, connect all these elements and make the car go, but we want to design everything on our own," says Denis Kotin.
Now the developers will explore the existing analogues of bolide equipment and assemble their own prototypes. The purpose of the study is to identify the shortcomings of the serial engine and its control system in order to perfect own developments. The calculation of the required power in the entire system on prototypes has already been completed; the engine and control system have been studied. The power of the serial liquid-cooled engine is up to 20 kW, the efficiency is 91 %, the voltage is 48 V, the rotational speed is from 2000 to 4500 rpm, and the weight is 17 kg.
"The project is being developed by students who have completed their bachelor's degree at different departments, and despite the fact that each group is engaged in its own task, we still interact in the course of work, which gives us a good opportunity to share knowledge and gain experience in team work, "said Vladislav Anibroev, a student of the "Autonomous power plants" program.