International Journal of Engineering and Technical Research (IJETR)

ISSN: 2321-0869, Volume-3, Issue-5, May 2015

On-The-Run Charging Solar Vehicle

Masna Naren Vikram Raj, Vanipenta Sundeep Reddy, Kandhala Hari Babu,
Masna Sudhachandra
possible solution is to replace these vehicles with eco-friendly
Abstract In this report, the construction and working of a electric vehicles. Solar electric vehicle is one of the fancy
solar vehicle with minimum complexity in charging the batteries ideas in the modern day world. The present day worlds best
is shown. The MATLAB simulation results of the electrical idea of reducing the pollution and use of fossil fuels. By
vehicle are explained through the input taken from the solar
making use of available technology with changed
panels and the output speed of the vehicle along with the speed
of response of the system with the change in acceleration of the
specifications and by positioning the components in
vehicle. The power from solar panels is tracked using the appropriate places the performance of the vehicle can be
perturb and observation method of algorithm and with the help improved. There are many ways of building an electric
of two graphs i.e. I-V characteristics graph and P-V vehicle. Some of the ways in which this problem is addressed
characteristics graph shows its characteristics. The constant is by charging the batteries using electricity in residences and
speed of the vehicle is shown using a speed vs time graph. The placing them in vehicles which is a tiring job as the batteries
speed of response of the system due to the practical change in are heavy and the user is paying for the charging of batteries.
speeds of the vehicle in a usual run is shown by another speed vs Charging the batteries using solar panels which are kept in an
time graph. This report also contains the technical and physical
appropriate place and then using them in vehicles is a
details of all the equipment that are used in the construction of
the vehicle. The selection of both electrical and mechanical
debatable idea considering the weight of the batteries and the
components is one of the most important aspect of a solar vehicle possibility of unavailability of solar panels at the destination.
which is covered briefly in this report. The electrical equipment Directly using the solar panels on the vehicle to run the motor
in the vehicle includes solar panels, solar charge controller, is a limited approach as a large number of panels are required
BLDC motor, motor controller, batteries and speed control to run a high capacity motor and the vehicle stands
while the mechanical apparatus includes a simple steering constrained to work only when the solar panels are producing
system, braking system, suspension system, materials to be used some power. Considering all these, this report concentrates on
and the chain drive system. The most common practical using solar panels on the vehicle to charge a high capacity
problems and troubleshooting are covered along with
battery which can be used at all times of the day and night
precautionary measures. This report is concentrated primarily
on the electrical theme and the mechanical systems are only which can also be helpful for long journeys.
briefed which are mandatory in any vehicle. Some of the flexible
changes in the vehicle according to the individual requirements II. CIRCUIT DESIGN AND SIMULATION
are briefed in the chain drive system. The simplest of mechanical The electrical components and the electrical circuit design are
parts are used in the construction and their details are furnished
the most important parts of the solar vehicle. The design is
in the report. The aim of this report is to construct a solar
vehicle which is economical and simple in construction without
shown in the fig.1.1. The solar panels form the first part of the
any complexity in charging the batteries. The aim of the paper is electrical design of the system. They are to be mounted on top
reached in part. of the solar vehicle where the sunlight is largely concentrated
on. The solar panels are connected directly to the solar charge
controller which is manufactured according to the required
Index Terms photovoltaic cell, BLDC motor, motor specifications. The solar charge controller uses its first two
controller, simulation. ports for intake of power from the solar panel which is stored
in the batteries. The charge produced by the batteries to run
the motor is controlled by the solar charge controller. The
I. INTRODUCTION motor controller is connected to the solar charge controller.
While the solar charge controller regulates the power with
In this world of fuel and gas powered vehicles, there is an which the motor runs, the motor controls the working of the
increasing need for reduction of environmental pollution by BLDC motor. The motor controller is also provided with
limiting the release of greenhouse gases into the environment. auxiliary connections such as speed control of the motor,
Every vehicle which uses engines and fossil fuels to power forward and reverse switch, Lights and horn. The connection
them emit carbon monoxides when the fuel doesnt burn between every two components is protected by using fuses or
completely, hydrocarbons from the exhaust and harmful MCBs. Although it is not mandatory to use LED detection for
nitrogen oxides. When hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides every connection, it is highly recommended to use both fuses
combine in sunlight, they produce ozone. Ozone in the and LEDs between batteries and solar charge controller and
atmosphere closer to surface contributes to smog and causes also between BLDC motor and motor controller. The wiring
respiratory problems. Air pollutants emitted from cars of all electric components should be done properly to ensure
contribute to problems such as cancer, asthma, heart disease, safety and for the ease of controlling them. The copper wires
birth defects and eye irritation. Keeping in mind the disastrous are suggested for the wiring as they have one of the highest
effects of the poisonous gases emitted due to vehicles, the best electrical conductivity rates amongst metals and have high
negative coefficient of temperature, hence copper is more
preferable than aluminium as our wiring material. In India

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wire selection is done using standard wire gauge (SWG) respect to voltage so the I-V characteristics and P-V
system. Since our max current flowing in the circuit is 40 A characteristics of the photo voltaic cells are considered as the
(considering starting current of the motor) selection of 25 proof of proper functioning of the photo voltaic module in the
area of section of the copper wire is recommended. sub system. Photo voltaic cell is a practical source. As every
practical source has a drop due to the shunt resistance, the
photo voltaic cells has a drop in both current and voltage. The
results can be seen clearly considering the I-V characteristics
and the P-V characteristics. The current has a drop due to the
shunt resistance and the voltage has a drop due to the series
resistance. These forms the I-V curve (Y axis = current and X
axis = voltage) of the photo voltaic cells which are shown in
the fig.2.5. Similarly once the voltage and current are known
in the system, the power can be determined as the product of
voltage and current through which P-V curves (Y axis =
power and X axis = voltage) are obtained as shown in fig.2.6.

Fig.2.1 Electric circuit Design

Area
mm2 Max.
Swg Dia(mm)
amps

4 5.826 26.7 0.646 75

Tab.2.1 Specifications of the wires used

Fig.2.3. Sub system of photo voltaic cell module

Fig.2.4. Functional block parameter of a single Module.

Fig.2.2 Electrical simulation in MATLAB software As physical quantities like sunlight, temperature, radiation
etc. cannot be shown in MATLAB software, the photo voltaic
MCB connections between components Current capacity cells also cannot be shown. Only if these curves are obtained,
the sub system can be used as a photo voltaic cell in Simulink
Solar panel and solar charge controller 6A (MATLAB). Different curves are obtained for different
positions of sun but it is essential for us to maintain at a point
battery and motor controller 10:00 AM where maximum power can be derived. This is achieved from
Motor controller and motor 6:00 AM the maximum power point tracking (MPPT). There are many
Tab.2.2 Fuse or MCB ratings algorithms to implement the maximum power point tracking
method. The algorithm used in this report is the perturb and
The solar panels are designed in the Simulink with a capacity observation method. This is the best control strategy for the
of 500W. The capacity of the solar panels can be increased or MPPT technique. To know more about the perturb and
decreased by addition or subtraction of the solar panel observation method refer to the material mentioned in the
subsystems in the control system. The subsystem of photo references. Taking the voltage and current values from the
voltaic cell is shown in the fig.2.3. A constant input of 1000 photo voltaic cell, a MPPT with desired quality can be
and a ramp input of slope 6 are given as input to every solar ordered. At the same time there is no requirement of any other
panel module in the subsystem. The outputs of these converter as the load itself is dc (BLDC motor). If an ac motor
subsystems are voltage (Vpv) of photo voltaic cell and power is used, additional converter such as an inverter should be
(Ppv) of photo voltaic cell. Functional block parameters of a used to drive the motor. The power from the photo voltaic
single photo voltaic cell module is shown in fig.2.4. All the cells is not sufficient to run the motor so a dc to dc converter is
outputs of the single photo voltaic cell are summed up to form to be used. It is also called as boost chopper or step up
the desired quantity. Photo voltaic cells are constant with chopper. It is preferable to use a bidirectional chopper as we

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 International Journal of Engineering and Technical Research (IJETR)
ISSN: 2321-0869, Volume-3, Issue-5, May 2015
require to both step up as well as step down. A bidirectional
dc to dc chopper is used to charge the batteries. This acts as a
step down chopper when charging the batteries and as a step
up chopper when the batteries are discharging. If the
maximum power point tracking method is used to switch
on/off the chopper, we shall always be at maximum power
point. In the chopper it is essential to use a MOSFET switch
as this chopper works on low voltage and high frequency
applications. The MOSFET switch is to be commanded on Fig.2.7. Actual speed of the motor in speed vs time graph
when to switch on/off as only on this command the circuit
decides on voltage requirement. Finally, to control all these
we require a closed loop controller. To control the dc motor,
actual speed (fig.2.7) of the motor is considered. Then the
reference speed (fig 2.9) is given as an external input as the
speed change due to acceleration is a physical quantity which
cannot be expressed in the MATLAB software. From the
comparison of these two speeds a duty cycle is obtained.
Another duty cycle is taken from the MPPT. The average of
these two duty cycles is used to switch on/off the dc to dc Fig.2.8. reference speed parameter
converter. Any change in speed is controlled through the
chopper. The speed of response of the system is shown in the
fig.2.10. The comparison of both the actual speed as well as
the reference speed is done and the error is fed to a PI
controller. The PI controller corrects the duty cycle. Then the
carrier voltage of the control system and the reference voltage
(constant of 400 in this report) are compared and the resultant
is fed to the chopper. Usually only a MPPT controller or a
motor controller are used in one program in which individual
duty cycles are considered but in this report both MPPT
controller and motor controller are being used in a single
Fig.2.9. Reference speed of 25 in speed vs time graph
program so the average of both the duty cycles must be fed
into the chopper.

Fig.2.10. Speed of response to change in speeds.

III. SELECTION PROCESS

Fig.2.5. I-V characteristics of photo voltaic cell 3.1 Motor

Motor is the most important part of an electric vehicle as
motor is the sole machine which is running the vehicle. Motor
being a major device converting electrical energy into
mechanical energy to bring the vehicle into motion, we need
to consider important parameters in selecting the motor those
are horsepower, efficiency, life, starting torque, speed, cost,
size, weight and its characteristics under operating conditions.
In this report, the selection of motor is done considering the
reduction of overall wieght and cost of the vehicle. A
brushless direct current motor is best suited for this type of
vehicle. BLDC motor is a synchronous motorpower by a dc
source through a switching power supply. The rotor of this
motor is a permanent magnet synchronous motor. Although
there are many technical details for the selection of BLDC
motor to run the vehicle, a brief note of avantages are as
Fig.2.6. P-V characteristics of the photo voltaic cell. follows while the others can be viewed through the reference.

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 On-The-Run Charging Solar Vehicle

BLDC motor commutation is done based on rotor position (6)

information, high efficiency as voltage drop on electronic
device is smaller than that on brushes, no maintenance as the
brushes are absent, lower acoustic noises due to absence of Therefore, Efficiency = = 81.98%
arcs from the brushes to generate noise, greater dynamic E = Back emf = 0 V
response due to lower rotor inertia because of permanent V= E (7)
magnets, smaller and lighter in weight , better speed vs torque Where,
characteristics as there is no brush friction to reduce useful V is supply voltage (volts) = 48v
torque, higher speed range as no mechanical limitation is Is current (amps)
offered by brushes or commutatotrs, better thermal R is armature resistance (ohms) =1.65 ohms
performance as only the armature windings generate heat,
which is the stator and is connected to the external part of I = V/R (8)
BLDC motor and longer life. Due to the above mentioned
advantages the BLDC motor is recommended in this report. Therefore, starting current = = 29A
The mechanical force required to move the vehicle and the
force required to move the wheel can be revied from the
reference. Force required to move the wheel is generated from
reference. Input electrical power is equal to sum of the output
mechanical power and power losses due to copper winding in
armature. Field copper losses are neglected. The
mathematical calculations for the BLDC motor are as follows:
Pelectrical = Pmechanical + Pcopper losses (1)
Where,
Pelectrical is input electrical power in watts Fig.3.1.1. BLDC motor with chain drive
Pmechanical is output mechanical power in watts
Pcopper losses is copper losses i.e. I2R losses in watts
Power 1hp
Pelectrical = V*I (2) Operating voltage 48 v
Where, Operating current 15.62A
V is supply voltage in volts (48V) Starting /max current 29A
I is current in amps (29A) Maximum torque 32.62 N-m
Maximum output speed 300 rpm
Therefore, Pelectrical = 48*29 = 1392 W Tab.3.1.1. Technical specifications of BLDC motor
Load torque need to be calculated to know the amount of
torque required to move the vehicle. It is also essential in As this report concentrates on eco-friendly solar vehicle, the
selecting a perfect motor for the desired qualities. requirement of speed is given the least priority
Tload = F*r* (3)
Where, 3.2 Motor controller
Tload is load torque in N-m Motor controller as explained in the MATLAB simulation in
F is the force required to spin the wheel in Newton =251.40N this report is nothing but a closed loop system which is used to
(from force equation) control the motor speeds, current flowing through the motor,
R is the radius of the wheel in meters = 8inches = 0.2023m switching on/off the chopper through MPPT control and
is the coefficient of friction = 0.5 auxiliaries. A detailed picture of a motor controller is given in
fig.3.2.1. Motor controller is an electronic circuitry which
Therefore, Tload = 251.40*0.2023*0.5 = 25.4291 N-m controls the speed of the motor by increasing/decreasing the
Considering the BLDC motor with torque greater than or potentiometer. Demagnetization of permanent magnets can be
equal to the load torque (T load) with an output speed of 300 prevented by controller by avoiding overloading conditions.
rpm and output torque of about 32.62 N-m.

Pmechanical = Tm* (4)

Where,
Tm is motor torque in N-m i.e. 32.62 N-m
is angular velocity in rad/sec i.e. rpm*(2/60)

Therefore, Pmechanical = (2NTm)/60 = (2*3.14*300*32.62)/60

= 1024.268 W

Pcopper losses = I2R (5)

Therefore, Pcopper losses = 292*0.139 = 116.899 W

Fig.3.2.1. motor controller

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 International Journal of Engineering and Technical Research (IJETR)
ISSN: 2321-0869, Volume-3, Issue-5, May 2015
3.3 Solar panels Fig.3.3.1.Solaranels.

In this report, the decision on selection of solar panels is Dimensions 250w

done considering the ratings of the panels, area of the panels, Length 100cm
cost and weight of the panels. Solar panels are the main Width 60cm
source of power supply for the vehicle. The main function of
the solar panels is that it should convert all the solar energy to Thickness 3cm
electrical energy and then it is stored in the batteries which No .of cells 9*6=54
can be furthered used. Solar panels work on the principle of Total area 6000cm2
photoelectric effect. Generally panels are made of silicon
which is a semiconductor. When light rays fall on the solar Tab.3.3.2. Dimensions of the panels
panels the photons present in the light excite the electrons of
the silicon and displace them hence a hole is created and this Note: Highly efficient solar energy practically does not
hole is thereby filled with the photon itself. The silicon is depend only on the amount of heat or radiation falling on the
doped to form 2 structures namely n-type and p-type. P-type panels but a combination of these along with the atmospheric
is positively charged and n-type is negatively charged as a temperature and regular cleaning of the panels that helps in
result an electric field is formed this field drives the free efficient excitation of the silicon molecules which is the
electrons along the semiconductor. Thus current is produced. primary cause for the generation of current.
There are three types of solar panels which can be
considered. They are mono crystalline, poly crystalline and 3.4 Solar charge controller
thin films. Almost 90% of the photovoltaics today are based
Solar charge controller is considered for the need to control
on variation of silicon. The main difference is purity of
the power from solar to battery and to increase efficiency of
silicon. More the purity the better the cell will be converting
the power being tracked by controller from solar panel
solar energy in electrical energy. The monocrystalline silicon
without any power losses. Solar charge controller is a small
(mono-is) or single crystalline silicon. They can be box consisting of solid state circuitry which is placed between
recognized by eternal even and uniform coloured indicating a solar panel and a battery. Its function is to regulate the
the purity of silicon. They are space efficient and live longer amount of charge coming from the solar panel that flows into
but they are highly expensive and are only efficient in warm battery bank in order to avoid the batteries being overcharged.
weathers. They undergo breakdown when covered with dirt It can also provide a direct connection to the load. There are
or shade. The polycrystalline are manufactured easily by two types of solar charge controllers. They are pulse width
allowing liquid silicon to cool using a seed crystal of the modulator (PWM) solar charge controller and maximum
desired crystalline structure other methods include chemical power point tracking (MPPT) solar charge controller. The
vapour disposition (CVD). We prefer these over other due to later forces solar panel module to operate close to maximum
their high efficiency and low cost and maintenance. These power point to draw maximum available power. It also allows
panels are used for the solar car because of the lower heat the use of solar panel module with higher output voltage than
tolerance but these panels occupy a bit larger space which operating voltage of the battery which is not quite an
can be further overcome by typical arrangement of the panels advantage in a solar vehicle as there is no often change of
in a particular area. So, the polycrystalline are best suited for solar panels once they are installed, keeping in mind the long
the solar vehicle as they are of less weight, lower cost and life time of a solar panel (approx. 20 years). The use of MPPT
more efficient. The panels structure and position used on the solar charge controller reduces the complexity of connections
solar vehicle mentioned in this report is shown in the which is also not a clear advantage as a maximum of two
connections in excess to the present is required which does
fig.3.3.1. In this report two panels of 250 watts each
not sum up to be a great complexity. Although the use of
connected in series are considered for installing exactly on
MPPT solar charge controller is debatable for use in a solar
the vehicle top.
vehicle due to its limited advantages and higher cost, it is
Power 250W preferable to opt for any of the two solar charge controllers
Rated voltage 30.2V depending upon the individual requirements. In this report,
Rated current 8.3A the MPPT solar charge controller is considered with
Voc 37.4V 48V/40A.
Isc 8.86A
Tolerance 5%
15.1%
Tab.3.31.specification of the panel

Fig.3.4.1. Solar charge controller.

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 On-The-Run Charging Solar Vehicle

3.5 Batteries Considering the motor uses an average continuous current of

Batteries form the main source of power from the solar panels 15.62 amps during the running of the vehicle, the applied load
to run the BLDC motor. When battery is in charging mode on the vehicle becomes 749.76 watts.
electrical energy is converted into chemical energy and while Therefore, Discharging time = (33 * 48) / 749.76= 2.11 hours.
in discharging mode chemical energy is converted into This implies that when the vehicle runs at an average speed of
electrical energy. The selection of batteries in this report is 50kmph the distance travelled by the vehicle turns out to be
done considering the need to supply sufficient power to the 50 * 2.11 = 105.5 Kms.
motor, cost and weight of the batteries. There are two types of
batteries which can be chosen to run the vehicle. They are lead Assuming that the conditions are ideal for efficient charging
acid batteries and lithium ion (cobalt) batteries. In this report, of the batteries through the solar panels. By the time the
the lithium ion batteries are considered due to the long batteries get totally discharged within 2.11 hours, 47.76% of
discharging time, less weight and low maintenance. The main the battery gets charged back according to equation (12). Due
disadvantage of lead acid batteries are heavier (weight) than to which the battery can run for additional fifty kilometres.
the lithium ion batteries and they require regular maintenance.
In this report four lithium ion batteries of 12V and 33Ah are Percentage of charging = (time for charging / total time for
considered which are connected in series to achieve a total of full charge)*100 (12)
48V and 33Ah. The calculations on charging time and
discharging time are the most important in perfect analysing Therefore, Percentage of charging = (2.11/4.417)*100 =
of the working of the solar vehicle. The calculations are based 47.76%
on the specifications of motor, load torque, solar panels and
batteries. For one full charge, if the vehicle runs at a constant speed of
Capacity of the batteries = 33Ah 50kmph, the vehicle runs a distance of 105.5kms. Similarly, at
Current from the solar panels (average) = 8.3A 47.76% of full charge and at the same constant speed, the
vehicle runs an additional distance of (0.4776*105.5=50.38)
Charging time of the batteries = capacity in Ah / Charge rate 50.38kms.
in A (9)
Therefore, Charging time = 33/8.3 = 3.974 Hours. In the same way according to equation (12) while the vehicle
The time mentioned above is the suitable considering only the runs an additional distance of 50.38kms, about 22.81% of the
ideal conditions. In practical the lithium ion batteries has an battery recharges which can run for 24.06kms more.
efficiency of 90%. Considering the practical conditions: Similarly, during the run of 24.06kms, about 10.89% of the
battery recharges and can run for extra 11.48kms. The next
Charging time of the batteries = capacity in Ah / (Efficiency * stages can be neglected as the batteries get completely drained
Charge rate in A) (10) of charge.
Therefore, Charging time = 33 / (0.9*8.3) = 4.417 Hours. Therefore the total distance covered by the vehicle at a
Discharging time = (Capacity in Ah * Battery voltage) / constant speed of 50 kmph in ideal conditions for efficient
Applied load in watts (11) charging of batteries is (105.5+50.38+24.06+11.48)
191.42kms.

Day Battery Current Charging Efficiency Actual Current Load Disc. Speed Dista
(Ah) (I) time (%) time(hrs) drawn(A) (watts) time (kmph) nce
(hrs.) (hrs) (kms)
*

1 33 8.34 3.956 90 4.396 15.62 749.76 2.112 50 105.6

2 33 8.24 4.004 90 4.449 17.78 853.44 1.856 50 92.8
3 33 8.1 4.074 90 4.526 16.24 779.52 2.032 50 101.6
4 33 8.15 4.049 90 4.498 15.40 739.20 2.142 50 107.1
5 33 8.32 3.966 90 4.407 15.33 735.84 2.152 50 107.6
* Only for one full charge
Tab.3.5.1. Speed, distance covered and Time taken for charging and discharging

3.6 Materials Some of the materials under consideration include AISI 4130
chromoly steel (preannealed), AISI 1020 steel and
In this report, selection of different materials for the chassis Al-6063-T1. The problem with AISI 4130 steel was even
and body works is done considering the physical properties of though it gave good strength and lighter than mild steel (MS),
some selected materials. A right material is of utmost it is expensive and not easily weld able. Welding AISI 4130
importance when it comes to designing a chassis because if a steel is not only costly but could not be trusted as it has to be
material of correct requirement is not chosen, the chassis annealed before and after welding yet gives fractures without
could break on loads leading to fatal conditions of the driver. notice. AISI 1020 steel is cheap, easily available and weld
The following are the important considerations for the able and with some decent specifications but when analysed
selection of proper material for the chassis. The material must for chassis and various components like rear axle, etc., it
have high yield strength, high machinability, easy weld showed a high deflection of 2- 9mm with very less factor of
ability, low cost, light weight and high elongation at failure. safety and addition of members to improve strength makes the

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 International Journal of Engineering and Technical Research (IJETR)
ISSN: 2321-0869, Volume-3, Issue-5, May 2015
chassis heavy. Aluminium 6063-T1 gives enough yield important criteria that are to be considered for the selection of
strength to withstand all subjected stresses and loads. Though the braking system. The two main types of braking systems
expensive, we cannot compromise on the quality on material under consideration in this report are Drum and Disc brakes.
for chassis and it is advised to look for a competitive price. In case of drum braking there is a high possibility of mud and
Thus, Al-6063 satisfies all other requirements. Body Works is debris to gather in the space between the shoe and the drum.
an important part of the vehicle design. External appearance Same problem is faced in mechanical disc brakes, but not in
is an important feature which not only gives grace and lustre hydraulic disc brakes. Hydraulic brakes are found to be
to the vehicle but also dominates sale and marketing of it. suitable for all type of terrain. Since, drum brakes are of more
Each product has a defined purpose. It has to perform specific cost and they are heavier in weight which greatly increases the
functions to the satisfaction of customer. The weight of solar car we can eliminate it. On the other hand,
Functional requirement brings products and people together. using hydraulic brakes can be an asset as it is cheap and it is
However, when there are a number of products in the market readily available but the drawback was using this system the
having the same qualities of efficiency , durability and cost, overall weight of the solar car is increased which makes it
the customer is attracted towards the most appealing and harder for the motor (linked to battery to solar panels) to run
economical product. Three materials such as aluminium, the car. The discs of brakes are made of paralytic grey cast
carbon fibre and glass fibre can be considered for aesthetic iron. The material is cheap and has good anti-wear properties.
considerations of the design. Aluminium shows good Cast steel discs have also been employed in some cases,
properties like light weight, does not rust easily, and has good which wear even less and provide higher coefficient of
machinability but is costlier than steel and is very abrasive. friction; yet the big drawback in its case is the less uniform
Carbon fibre contains some ideal qualities like High stiffness, frictional behaviour. Two types of discs have been employed
high tensile strength, low weight, high chemical resistance, in various makes of disc brakes, i.e. the solid or the ventilated
high temperature tolerance and low thermal expansion. type. Disadvantages of ventilated type discs include usual
However, they are relatively expensive when compared to thickness and heavier than solid discs, In case of severe
similar fibres, such as glass fibres or plastic fibres. Thus, braking conditions, they are liable to wrap, accumulation of
budget exceeded in its place. Glass fibre is light weight, easily dirt in the vents, which affects cooling, resulting in wheel
mouldable, easy machining, Fire resistant, Low maintenance, imbalance, Expensive, Difficult to turn. Turning produces
Anti- magnetic, good electrical insulator. However, it is vibrations which reduces the life of the disc. Any of these
costlier than aluminium but fits into economic range. make no much difference on the solar vehicle mentioned in
Selection of glass fibre as the material for moulding the body this report as its overweight cannot go beyond 450kgs to
of the vehicle is an educated choice since glass fibre is cost 500kgs. Although in the practical version of the solar vehicle
effective, light weight, has good strength, it fits into the done through this report hydraulic drum brakes are used for
requirement slot for manufacturing the solar vehicle. the front axle and mechanical disc brakes are used for rear
axle for experimentation (fig 3.7.1) it is advisable to opt for
hydraulic disc brakes for both the front and back axles as they
are economical and reliable.
3.8 Steering system
The controlling behaviour of a vehicle is influenced by the
performance of its steering system. The track consisting of
sharp turns and the stability of the system and the response
time (Feedback) are vital factors in deciding the vehicles run.
The Worm and Sector mechanism, Rack and pinion and the
Re-circulating ball mechanism were among our options to go
Fig.3.6.1.Body of the solar vehicle according to this report with. In this report, on consideration of mounting ease,
simplicity in design and considering that our vehicle is of the
Mechanical Prop. Value (Metric) compact category; rack and pinion is chosen over the others.
Density 2.7g/cc A practical picture is shown in the fig3.8.1. The rack and
Hardness (Brinell) 42 pinion being a simple system; can be easily manoeuvred and
Ultimate Tensile Strength 152 MPa the defect, if any, can be spotted and taken care of. Moreover
Tensile Yield Strength 90 MPa the steering wheel and other relevant apparatus are so placed
Elongation at Break 20% in the design, for easy entering and exit of the driver. Rack
and pinion steering gear being compact and light package
Modulus of Elasticity 69 GPa
with kinematically stiffer characteristics commonly employed
Poissons Ratio 0.33
on passenger vehicle cars. The composite error in the gear
Melting Point 616-654C increases the torque required to rotate the steering wheel by
Tab.3.6.1. mechanical properties of Al-6063-T1 the driver. Rack and pinion steering system has a very few
3.7 Braking system moving parts, lighter in weight and economical. It converts
the rotational motion of the steering wheel into the linear
Braking system makes an important mechanical entity to any motion needed to turn the wheels. It provides a gear
automobile. An excellent braking system is the most reduction, making it easier to turn the wheels. Recirculating
important safety feature of any land vehicle. The main steering system is used in heavy vehicle but for solar car the
requirement of the vehicles braking system is that it must be rack and pinion would be the good choice. In this steering
capable of locking all wheels on a dry surface. Ease of system we can change the steering ratio according to our
manufacturability, performance and simplicity are a few

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desire like 12:1, 7:1, 10:1 etc. which will really increase the IV. ASSEMBLING
efficiency of our solar car. As all the important aspects for construction of the solar
vehicle is covered, there is no requirement of any professional
mechanic to supervise you when constructing. The only
requirement is a well-equipped workshop which has a good
welding, electric cutting machine to cut pipes, plates and solid
rods and a drilling machine to drill into metal with different
bits. The point wise assembling will make it easier for the
assembling to be done within a few hours once all the
equipment, materials and simulations are in hand.
i. Get the mechanical simulation done in CAD software
and evaluate using CAE softwares according to
selection process done in the above segments with
individual designs and requirements. This simulation
Fig 3.7.1. Experimental braking system used in vehicle
is useful to maintain the mechanical properties of the
vehicle according to the standards. This also helps in
giving a fancy touch to the design of the vehicle.
ii. Accumulate the mechanical materials according to the
quantities mentioned in the simulation like the amount
of Al-6063-T1, glass fibre, nuts and bolts, members,
spanners, screwdrivers, grease, rack and pinion
steering, four suspensions, chain drive system, two
disc brakes, two disc brake callipers, hydraulic brake
set, four wheels, brake pedals, acceleration pedal, four
pedestals with ball bearings, comfortable seats etc.
Fig 3.8.1. Rack and pinion steering system
iii. Order for all the electrical equipment with above
3.9 Chain drive mentioned specifications like BLDC motor, motor
Chain drive is a way of transmitting the mechanical power controller, solar panels, MPPT solar charge controller,
from one place to another. It is often used to convey power to Lithium ion batteries, and required quality of electric
the wheels of a vehicle, particularly bicycles and motorcycles. wires in abundance. It is also advised to get a soldering
It is also used in a wide variety of machines besides vehicles.
set, wire stripper and some high rating legs for the
Most often, the power is conveyed by a roller chain, known as
the drive chain, passing over a sprocket gear, with the teeth of electric wires, two DC voltmeters to measure the
the gear meshing with the holes in the links of the chain. The voltage at batteries and motor, two DC ammeters to
gear is turned, and this pulls the chain putting mechanical measure the current flowing through batteries and
force into the system. There are two parts in a chain drive motor, three MCBs.
system. Roller chain and sprocket, by simply rotating the iv. Mark the Al-6063-Ti meatal and cut it to make a chassis
chain it can be used to lift or drag objects. Idler wheel are
according to simulation and also give additional
gears that do not put power into the system or transmit it out.
An idler-wheel drive is a system used to transmit the rotation members for seating, motor mounting and steering
of the main shaft of a motor to another rotating device. An mounting.
idler gear is a gear wheel that is inserted between two or more v. Mark two circular rods of equal length for both front and
other gear wheels. Chain drive system is a simple mechanical rear axles, fix the disc brake for the front axle with nut
system whose primary duty is to transfer the mechanical and bolt, fix two pedestals from both sides of the axle
energy from motor to rear axle. The most important point to and fasten it tight without horizontal movement. Weld
be noted in chain drive system is that the motor gear and the
two solid circular plates perpendicular to the axle at
rear axle gear must be on a same line perpendicular to the rear
axle. Any small error will result in displacement of chain. In both ends of the axle which fit exactly to the rims of the
this report, it is suggested to use a 2:1 ratio for teeth at the wheels. Mark holes on the plates, drill them and fasten
gears near the motor and at the rear axle. the wheels to the axle. Weld two small metal parts in
Note: There is a chance of flexibility in chain drive system. If the forward direction with holes. Repeat the same with
the individual requirement is to go for faster speeds then the no small metal parts with an additional chain drive
same ratio as mentioned earlier must be followed with more
gear in exact middle of the axle.
teeth at the motor and less number of teeth at the rear axle. If
the individual requirement is for higher torque due to hilly or vi. Attach both the front and rear axles to the chassis with
sandy roads, the same ratio in reverse must be followed with the pedestals with nut and bolt. Also connect the rack
more teeth at the rear axle and less number of teeth are the and pinion steering set to the front axle by bolting the
motor gear. two ends to the small metal parts with holes and fix the
base of the steering to the main body. (If the steering is

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 International Journal of Engineering and Technical Research (IJETR)
ISSN: 2321-0869, Volume-3, Issue-5, May 2015
not tightly fixed, the vehicle cannot change direction). with the kinetic energy you need to move. When you stop and
Attach the steering to the extra member provided in hit the brakes, the whole process goes into
point number IV. reverse: electronic circuits cut the power to the motors. Now,
your kinetic energy and momentum makes the wheels turn the
vii. Make a cabinet in the rear to hold the electrical
motors, so the motors work like generators and start
equipment like motor controller, solar charge producing electricity instead of consuming it. Power flows
controller and batteries. Mount the motor in such a back from these motor to the batteries, charging them up. So a
way that the motor chain drive gear should be exactly proportion of the energy you lose by braking is returned to the
in line with rear axle gear and fix the motor. batteries and can be reused when you start off again.
viii. Chain the motor and the rear axle tightly and lubricate it A solar tracking system along with the MPPT solar charge
with grease. Build the members and form the body of controller can be an effective addition to the present
technology. As the sunlight can be in various direction other
the vehicle as per the individual designs and mount the
than the way the vehicle is running or the radiation might be
solar panels on top of the vehicle. It is advised to use falling slant on the panel, the solar tracking device can track
some thermocols under the panels to reduce heat and the sunlight and position the panel perpendicular to the
noise while travelling. radiation and get maximum output. This helps in higher
ix. Complete the wiring of all the electrical equipment with current to charge the batteries faster. A combination of both
safety measures where ever necessary. Do not short the above mentioned techniques would be a great boost to the
available technology as proposed in this report.
any wires. Fix the brake callipers to both front and rear
Some of the problems faced during the construction of the
axle with the support of members and attach them with vehicle include the wrong decision of using a belt driven
pedals at foot. Also connect the accelerator to motor system instead of chain driven system which is not having
controller and connect it with pedal near the drivers enough strength to pull the load and it expands due to heat
feet. making the belt loose. The mechanical brakes are not much
x. Place the seats and fix them. First switch on the MCBs at efficient in braking. The nut and bolts should fit exactly
batteries and motor respectively and go for a test run. without any movement and the holes must be drilled
according to the nuts available. Trial and error on welding the
If the motor is running satisfactorily, fix the rest of
materials will result in damage to the quality of the vehicle
glass fibre according to individual designs. Now the and increases the cost of the vehicle.
new on-the-run charging solar vehicle is ready and
good to go. VI. TROUBLE SHOOTING
In any vehicle, even after many precautions some troubles
might occur. Any difference from normal working conditions
V. DISCUSSIONS is considered as a defect and should be addressed accordingly.
In extension to this model of solar vehicle according to this Some of the most common troubles in the solar vehicle
report, there is scope for developments and also discussing mentioned in this report are as under:
some practical problems. Some of the most common problems such as braking,
The introduction of regenerative braking to the existing model welding, tyres, motor controler, motor, battery, steering, solar
can be of a significant boost to the solar vehicle. As for every charge controller and other common mechanical parts can be
time the brakes are used, it helps in charging the batteries. met with ease using this table. Also some problems might
This decreases the pressure on the solar panels to charge the require extensive look into hem and complete replacement is
batteries and the batteries can be charged quicker than at done which is the final step while there is no alternative for
present. When you're driving along, energy flows from the that.
batteries to the motors, turning the wheels and providing you

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Tab.5.1. common trouble shooting techniques.

VII. CONCLUSION REFERENCES

According to the specifications of electrical and mechanical [1] Electric Vehicle Technology Explained by James Larminie, John
Lowry.
parts mentioned in this report, the construction of the
[2] Feedback control theory by john Doyle, Bruce Francis, Allen
on-the-run charging solar vehicle is made simple. The aim tannenbaum.
of the report is reached in part. [3] Development of generalised photovoltaic cell model using
MATLAB/Simulink by Huan-Liang Tsai, Ci-Siang Tu, and Yi-Jie Su,
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Member, IAENG.
[4] Drives engineering handbook by Rockwell automation.
I extend my sincere thanks to my associate researcher [5] Feedback control systems by Dr Mustafa M Aziz.
Vanipenta sundeep reddy for cross checking the calculations [6] Dynamic performance of a pure electric vehicle experimental analysis
by Wang tan-li, chin chang-hong, Gao shi-zhan, li xing-quan and yu
and his keen interest in making this report a success. I extend ying Xiao.
my gratitude to Pasnuri Sai Charan Reddy, Kamma Ravi Teja [7] Hardware design considerations for an electric bicycle using BLDC
for their relentless effort in making this report a success. I also motor by srivatsa raghunath.
acknowledge the support by my associates Sode Keshav Raj [8] Kelly ebike brushless motor controller users manual.
[9] Regenerative braking of BLDC motors by Daniel Torres.
and Galla Siva Sankar. My profound thanks to our Prof. S [10] Ac machines controlled as dc machines by Hamid a toliyat.
Rengarajan, Assoc. Prof M Narendar Reddy, Assoc. prof [11] Powering wireless communications from
GVSSNS Sarma, Assoc. Prof GV Rajasekhar and Asst prof. www.batteryuniversity.com.
G Laxmi Narayana. [12] A status report of possible risks of base metal alloys by LH pierce

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