
Missouri Wins American Solar Challenge 251
dagoalieman writes "The University of Missouri - Rolla won this year's 2300 mile American Solar Challenge. The roughly 339lb car (517lb with driver) with 1500 watts of power won by nearly 5 hours - here's the final results. UMR has now won two out of the past three races, finishing second in the last race, to Michigan. Congrats, and good luck to them in the World Solar Challenge!"
Now... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Now... (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Now... (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Now... (Score:5, Informative)
A Prius has about the same surface area as one of these solar racers. If you covered the entire car with solar cells, you'd get about the same power, 1500W max in bright sunlight at high noon. That's about 2HP which is less power than a 50cc moped, maybe as much power as a lawnmower, and maybe as much power as 3-4 professional bicycle racers. 2HP might be enough to run the headlights and A/C, but forget about it for moving 3000lbs of car + passengers.
Re:Now... (Score:5, Informative)
And as for the question about the solar cells, they're certainly the single most expensive part of the car, but they're really not that bad. They're gallium arsenide cells sold to us at a steep discount by Spectrolab because they were rejected for use on satellites, but even their rejects are much better than standard silicon terrestrial-grade cells (which incidentally is what we won second with in 2001). The full grade cells run in the millions of dollars, but reject cells like ours can be found in the ballpark of tens of thousands. The bare cells themselves are not significantly thinner or lighter than any other type of cell, but I guarantee the packaging and encapsulation is.
Re:Now... (Score:3, Informative)
1500W was enough to power the car at 65mph most of the time, from what I've heard. Certainly, that's no 3000lb. But anyone who remembers races from 95, 97, etc. know that's a big improvement over past years. Also, so far as I know UMR only had one "repair" stop during the racing day (on the first day) and the rest
Re:Now... (Score:2)
Re:Now... (Score:2, Insightful)
I know y'all never researched this any eh? Electric motors are rated on continuous output for 30 minutes or something like that while ICE's are rated on peak output. So you can 3x any electrical motor number or something like that. My father-in-law maintins the beetle and the CRX were some of the best cars ever built as they were so lite one could get $50 MPG. Not to mention all that other parts needed for gas-based cars which are not needed on electric cars.
Anyways, the whole issue with usefulness is batt
Re:Now... (Score:2)
Re:Now... (Score:3, Funny)
Heck, if I can find a 105 lb jockey and strap him on a fiberglass board with my 1500 W hair dryer I'd beat the weight class.....Oh yeah, the a-c plug....damn!.
Re:Now... (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Now... (Score:2)
1) Solar Power elsewhere
2) energy-efficient cars
When you consider how fast these cars go and how little power they use to do it, it becomes obvious just how much room for improvement in current cars. For example, if we stopped using engines that produce 7 times as much
surface area of Prius? (Score:2)
Huh? I was on the (now defunct due to budget problems) University of Illinois Solar Racing Team. Almost all of the entries in the competition are about the length and width of a full size 9 passanger van, a far cry from a Prius...
Re:Now... (Score:3, Informative)
Besides, I'm sure they're using ultra-light ultra-expensive solar cells that you couldn't afford. The things you put on your house would barely generate enough energy to compensate for their own weight.
re: affordability (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Now... (Score:2, Informative)
How long? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:How long? (Score:5, Informative)
Overall Results [formulasun.org]
The leader finished with 56:10:46, while this year's leader finished with 51:47:39. However, looking at the overall top 10, it appears that the 2001 field was slightly better than the top 10 of this year's field. I'd say it means that solar technology is advancing but at a somewhat slow pace. Until we hit that breakthrough that gets the solar efficiency past 40%, we won't see much of any daily applications of this tech.
Then again, it's just my opinion, I could be wrong.
-Cyc
Re:How long? (Score:5, Insightful)
Maybe there was more sun that year.
Re:How long? (Score:2, Informative)
Re:How long? (Score:3, Interesting)
You can't afford them however. Warren Buffet could maybe cover his car roof, but not the hood and trunk. And then he'd be broke. The tech is easy waiting for the patents to expire is the hard part.
In 15 years, having your house roof be 33% solar shingles will cost next to nothing, but for now, don't hold your breath.
same top 3 (Score:2)
Re:How long? (Score:2)
I think you are wrong. Agreed it's only for specalised purposes, but solar power is practical and useful now. For example, a solar panel provides all the power for all the systems - navigation instruments, radio, GPS, interior lighting, navigation lights - on my boat [jasmine.org.uk], and it does that reliably in Scotland which is not a s
Re:How long? (Score:2)
Nobody trying solar thermal? (Score:2)
It's a bit more complex, requiring more innovation but I thought that's what it was all about.
Re:How long? (Score:5, Informative)
Re:How long? (Score:2, Informative)
Missouri? (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Missouri? (Score:2, Informative)
The University of Missouri Rolla is one of the top Engineering colleges in the country. It ranks right behind MIT and California Institute of Technology. Let's not forget Washington University based in Saint Louis, one of the leaders in the engineering and medical communities.
Nice job being ignorant.
Re:Missouri? (Score:3, Interesting)
Many folks who live near the coasts really don't have a clue what midwestern cities are like though. I've talked to a good number of native Californians on IRC chat in the past - and it's surprising how often the *only* thing they know of St. Louis is "Oh yeah, you're the city with that big arch, right?" They also often seem to think there is nothing else in Missouri except for farmland and camp sit
Re:Missouri? (Score:2, Informative)
Another St. Louisan here. Don't forget the many [bowlingmuseum.com] unique [akc.org] places that make StL um...stand out.
Then again, there are bunches [stlzoo.org] of genuinely cool [mobot.org] places [citymuseum.org] and events [greatfores...onrace.com] that make the town with the easy-carry handle [stlouisarch.com] worth living in.
UM-St. Louis also produces a seriously good literary magazine [umsl.edu] and has a strong creative writing program.
Re:Missouri -- The arm-pit of technology (Score:2)
St. Louis has 15 Fortune 1000 companies, and ranks 7th as a headquarters location for Fortune 500 companies.
Plus huge operations for companies like MasterCard, CitiMortgage, etc.
Usefullness (Score:1, Redundant)
Re:Usefullness (Score:2)
Huh? (Score:3, Interesting)
http://solar42.umr.edu/faq/techfaq.htm
"Q: What does the car weigh?
A: Solar Miner II weighs 822 pounds with the driver. The batteries alone weigh 320 pounds and our driver weighs 176 pounds. If the driver weighs in less than 176 pounds, he/she must carry lead shot with them to bring their weight to 176 pounds. "
Is that 339lb figure from the article only the batteries?
Re:Huh? (Score:1, Informative)
Re:Huh? (Score:1)
Re:Huh? (Score:2)
In other news (Score:5, Funny)
One of them asked "Was the winner an SUV that runs on gasoline?" When told the answer, he replied "whatever."
Re:In other news (Score:3, Informative)
Re:In other news (Score:2)
Stopping to refuel... (Score:2)
Re:In other news (Score:2)
Tie In Some Adult stuff for ratings (Score:1, Funny)
I smell paper view...actually I bet it'd smell a bit fishy...It's all about the ratings damnit!!
Woo! (Score:1, Troll)
From a displaced Missourian: (Score:2, Funny)
need more solar power (Score:1)
How about using the energy made by a slashdotting to power a server?
The reason they beat the U of Minnesota (Score:4, Funny)
Hardly fair.
Re:The reason they beat the U of Minnesota (Score:2)
Re:The reason they beat the U of Minnesota (Score:2)
Re:The reason they beat the U of Minnesota (Score:2)
For any alums who haven't been back to Rolla recently, you should really stop by when you can. The changes have been dramatic. The new EE and CE buildings really make things look different along Pine Street. There's a Lowe's now too.
Bad For The Environment (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Bad For The Environment (Score:2)
Re:Bad For The Environment (Score:4, Funny)
Let the contract bidding begin!
Re:Bad For The Environment (Score:2)
I'd say, oh, for an infinite amount of money, to be completed in an infinite amount of time, I can get that done for ya, no prob.
Half up front, the other half upon successful, on-time completion of project.
I better call my bank and tell them to expect an infinite amount of money to be deposited soon - I think they'll need to do some upgrades first.
Re:Bad For The Environment (Score:2)
Get it done in 1 billion years, you got a deal.
Re:Bad For The Environment (Score:2)
Or, for only 50% more and on the originally proposed schedule, we could fix up your Sun so it'll last longer. The technology level in making a Dyson Sphere is more than that needed to import such amounts of star-fuel from elsewhere.
Re:Bad For The Environment (Score:2)
For more see the Matrioshka Brain Home Page [aeiveos.com]
Re:Bad For The Environment (Score:2)
For Non-USians ... (Score:2, Funny)
Funny how... (Score:2, Interesting)
Guess people who go to schools with no sun have nothing to do but work all day.
Re:Funny how... (Score:3, Insightful)
Ie: How hard do you push the car to have enough juice in the batteries to start off at full power the next day?
A more efficient car helps out somewhat, but good judgement (and luck) plays a much greater role than you'd think. And that good judgement comes from experience/practice.
Re:Funny how... (Score:2)
Re:Funny how... (Score:2)
But I never stayed for a summer session -- just long enough to get pissed at the reslife people for not turning on the AC soon enough.
Re:Funny how... (Score:2)
The Calc III teacher I had actually stated that his goal was a 50% average on the tests. He made half of the test stuff that everyone should know, and the other half of the test hard stuff -- just to see how well people would do on them (probably to get some feedback on how he was teaching). If you did all of the (ungraded) homework, odds are you'd do really well
2003 Dell-Winston Solar Challenge - another race (Score:3, Informative)
Good job teams [winstonsolar.org]!
Car building guidelines? (Score:3, Funny)
Missouri's Solar Cars (Score:2)
Go solar!
Solar? (Score:5, Funny)
As a former UMR student, I can say.... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:As a former UMR student, I can say.... (Score:5, Funny)
Another UMR grad ('91)
Re:As a former UMR student, I can say.... (Score:2, Funny)
Eric Yount
UMR '98
Re:As a former UMR student, I can say.... (Score:2)
(class of 5/2000)
Re:As a former UMR student, I can say.... (Score:2)
Maledictus - "Townie,"
Blonde, blue-eyed, no hick accent
Daughter of a retired UMR physics prof
Married to a BSEE, 1983
Solar Cell Efficiency? (Score:5, Informative)
This is what I found:
http://sharp-world.com/corporate/news/030
"17.4% Module Conversion Efficiency Industry's Most Efficient --- April 21, 2003"
"17.3 m2 of area yielding 3.01 kW (4hp)"
The surface area (hood, roof) of a 2004 Prius is ~10m^2. So that would generate around 2kW with these panels.
What are the projection for panel efficiency over the next 5-20 years?
At 50% efficiency you could get 5kW output for a 10m^2 panel. If you drove 1 hour/day and parked in the sun 6 hours/day you could generate an extra 40hp for that hour on the road. As someone mentioned earlier, slap this on a Prius and you should reach 100mpg+ easily.
Feel free to fix any calculation errors.
Re:Solar Cell Efficiency? (Score:2)
PROBLEM: BIG DRIVER (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:PROBLEM: BIG DRIVER (Score:2)
Driver (Score:2)
GO MINERS! (Score:4, Funny)
Let me give you an idea of what the campus is like. We have the
and one Arts and Sciences building with all those pansy ass "liberal arts" classes in them. (I probably left one out...it's been a while since I was back)
So needless to say it's a geekfest. I think our football team has won once....like in it's history. The Solar Car challenge is something we dominate in because, well, we can.
One more time....GO MINERS!
Re:GO MINERS! (Score:2)
Only the most important one,
McNutt Hall [umr.edu]
home of the School of Mines and Metallurgy. Or is that what you meant by Geology and Geophysics sans Metallurical, Ceramic, Mining, and Petroleum engineering. For those not familiar with the University of Missouri-Rolla, it was originally the Missouri School of Mines [umr.edu] before being "annexed" into the University of Missouri system.
My condolences to the family and friends of Dr. Robert E. Moore [refractori...titute.org].
Re:GO MINERS! (Score:2)
Re:GO MINERS! (Score:2)
Indeed. Never knew Dr. Moore (different department in McNutt), but know he was highly regarded.
176 pound driver? (Score:4, Interesting)
I tried downloading the rules to check, but the PDF was a blank document. Does anyone know if 176 pounds is just that team's average or are teams with lighter drivers required to use weights to bring them up to 176 pounds (like some horse races)?
Daniel
Re:176 pound driver? (Score:3, Informative)
There's no business school. There's no school for teachers. There's one building that houses psychology, english, speech, and foreign languages. There are like 10 buildings on campus for different engineering and pure-science disciplines. There just aren't a lot of women going into those fields, which is really unfortunate.
Re:176 pound driver? (Score:2)
Re:176 pound driver? (Score:2)
Actually, you're not quite right.
There's an Education program: http://www.umr.edu/index.php?id=310 [umr.edu]
And the School of Managment and Information Systems offers a Business Administration program: http://www.umr.edu/index.php?id=319 [umr.edu]
And getting back into sciences, there are programs for pre-med, pre-dentistry, and pre-veterinary, as well as pre-nursing, and pre-law.
The female population is currently listed as 25%. It's been around 23-24% for t
Re:176 pound driver? (Score:2)
I'm a bit more recent, being 1995 and 1997. The whole MIS thing was just getting rolling then. The pre-nursing thing was getting s
Re:176 pound driver? (Score:3, Informative)
Proud to be from UMR (Score:2, Interesting)
Anyways, check the domain on my email address. Good job guys!
Go Miners! (Score:2)
Having also been a student at UMR, and having the pleasure to serve as RA with one of the members of the Solar Car team, I must say congratulations! A job well done. =)
Re:UMR - don't go there (Score:2)
not much else to do is certainly true.
Re:UMR - don't go there (Score:2)
Re:UMR - don't go there (Score:2)
Re:UMR - don't go there (Score:2)
Re:Vehicle Classes (Score:2)
S is stock class, who has a lot more restrictions on what they can use- namely mostly "cheap" materials. The idea is to create a class 1. of Off the shelf components and 2. for schools with smaller budgets (although open class rules also make an attempt to avoid out-budgeting).
Stock class, from what I understand, really gets the shaft on the deal, and that's why they really struggled. Someone told me that it basica
Left one out (Score:2)
I think you left out competitive drinking. In a place where kegs can be bought for $25, it's almost a given, really.
Re:GO BLUE! (Score:2)
Re:Go UMR! Very impressive! (Score:2)
Re:Rolla Sucks (Score:2)
Damn. If you're correct, that's impressive. All I can say about KD is to avoid their driveway if you have a low car.
enjoy Dr. Bogan, he's awesome!
Bogan is definitely one of the treasues of the campus.