HY WIRE CAR

Vishwas C Shetty 4SN06ME041 vishwasshetty9@gmail.com Ashwini Shenoy 4SN07ME012 ashwini.shenoy5@gmail.com

ABSTRACT Hy-wire car has a fuel cell stack, which powers an electric motor connected to the wheels. Instead of mechanical and hydraulic linkages, it has a drive by wire system where a computer actually operates the components that move the wheels, activate the brakes and so on, and based on input from an electronic controller. By combining fuel cell and drive by wire technology, the Hy-wire car has opened a new world of chassis architectures and customized bodies for individual expression. The development is a significant step towards a new kind of automobile that is substantially friendlier to the environment and provides consumers positive benefits in driving dynamics, and freedom of individual expression.

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INTRODUCTION Cars are immensely complicated machines, but when you get down to it, they do an incredibly simple job. Most of the complex stuff in a car is decided to turning wheel, which grip the road to pull the car body and passengers along. The steering system tilts the wheel side to run the car, and brake and acceleration system control the speed of the wheel. Given that the overall function of the car is basic (it just needs to provide rotary motion to the wheel), it seems a little strange that almost all cars have the same collection of complex crammed under the hood and the same general mass of mechanical and hydraulic linkages running throughout. Why do cars need necessarily need a steering column, brake and acceleration pedals, a combustion engine and the rest of it? This question led the automotive engineers at the General Motors Company to design and develop a new breed of cars.

FIGURE 1

GM'S SEDAN MODEL HY-WIRE

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HY-WIRE BASICS The two basic elements that largely dictate car design today are: the internal combustion engine and mechanical and hydraulic linkages. If we look under the hood of a car, we can see that an internal combustion engine requires a lot of additional equipment to function correctly. The designers trying to bring out new luxurious and environment-friendly cars into the market always have to make room for this equipment. The same is the case with the mechanical and hydraulic linkages. The basic idea of using the linkages is that the driver can maneuver the various actuators in the car more or less directly, by manipulating driving controls connected to those actuators by shafts, gears and hydraulics. For example, in a rack and pinion steering system turning the steering wheel rotates a shaft connected to a pinion gear, which moves a rack gear connected to the cars front wheels. The defining characteristic of the Hy-wire is that it doesnt have either of those two things. Instead of an engine, it has a fuel cell stack, which powers an electric motor connected to the wheels. Instead of mechanical and hydraulic linkages, it has a drive by wire system where a computer actually operates the components that move the wheels, activate the brakes and so on, based on input from an electronic controller. By combining fuel cell and drive by wire technology, the Hy-wire car has opened a new world of chassis architectures and customized bodies for
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individual expression. The development is a significant step towards a new kind of automobile that is substantially friendlier to the environment and provides consumers positive benefits in driving dynamics, and freedom of individual expression.

FIGURE 2

THE HY-WIRE HAS WHEELS, SEATS AND WINDOWS LIKE A

CONVENTIONAL CAR, BUT THE SIMILARITY PRETTY MUCH ENDS THERE. THERE IS NO ENGINE UNDER THE HOOD AND NO STEERING WHEEL OR PEDALS INSIDE.

The result of the two substitutions is a very different type of car and a very different driving experience. There is no steering wheel, there are no pedals and there is no engine compartment. In fact, every piece of equipment that actually moves the car along the road is housed in an 11-inch-thick (28 cm) aluminum Chassis also known as the skateboard at the base of the car. This
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maximizes the interior space for five occupants and their cargo. Everything above the chassis is dedicated solely to driver control passenger comfort. FUEL CELL ON HY-WIRE A fuel cell is an electrochemical energy conversion device that converts hydrogen and oxygen into water, producing electricity and heat in the process. A fuel cell provides a DC (direct current) voltage that can be used to power motors, lights or any number of electrical appliances. One can continually recharge a fuel cell by adding chemical fuel- hydrogen for an onboard storage tank The type of fuel cell that is used in the Hy-wire car is the Proton exchange membrane fuel cell. Proton exchange membrane The four basic elements of a PEM fuel cell are: The anode, the negative post of the fuel cell, conducts the electrons that are freed from the hydrogen molecules so that they can be used in an external circuit. It has channels etched into it that disperse the hydrogen gas equally over the surface of the catalyst.

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 The cathode, the positive post of the fuel cell, has channels etched into it that distribute the oxygen to the surface of the catalyst. It also conducts the electrons back from the external circuit to the catalyst, where they can recombine with the hydrogen ions and oxygen to form water. The electrolyte is the proton exchange membrane. This specially treated material, only conducts positively charged ions. The membrane blocks electrons. The catalyst is a special material that facilitates the reaction of oxygen and hydrogen. It is usually made of platinum powder very thinly coated onto carbon paper or cloth. The catalyst is rough and porous so that the maximum surface area of the platinum can be exposed to the hydrogen or oxygen. The platinum-coated side of the catalyst faces the PEM.

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The working of PEMFC

FIGURE 3 FUEL CELL

The pressurized hydrogen gas (H2) enters the fuel cell on the anode side. This gas is forced through the catalyst by the pressure. When an H2 molecule comes in contact with the platinum on the catalyst, it splits into two H+ ions and two electrons (e-). The electrons are conducted through the anode, where they make their way through the external circuit (doing useful work such as turning a motor) and return to the cathode side of the fuel cell. Meanwhile, on the cathode side of the fuel cell, oxygen gas (O2) is being forced through the catalyst, where it forms two oxygen atoms. Each of these atoms has a strong negative charge.
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This negative charge attracts the two H+ ions through the membrane, where they combine with an oxygen atom and two of the electrons, from the external circuit to form a water molecule (H2O). Chemistry of a Fuel Cell Anode side: 2H2 => 4H+ + 4eCathode side: O2 + 4H+ +4e- => 2H2O Net reaction: 2H2 + O2 => 2H2O PEMFCs operate at a fairly low temperature (about 176 degrees Fahrenheit, 80 degrees Celsius), which means they warm up quickly and dont require expensive containment structures.

FIGURE 4 THE HYDROGEN TANKS AND FUEL-CELL STACK IN THE HY-WIRE

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The gaseous hydrogen fuel needed to power this system is stored in three cylindrical tanks, weighing about 165 pounds (75 kilograms) total. The tanks are made of a special carbon composite material with the high structural strength needed to contain high-pressure hydrogen gas. The tanks in the current model hold about 4.5 pounds (2kg) of hydrogen at about 5000 pounds per square inch (350 bars). In future models the Hy-wire engineers hope to increase the pressure threshold to 10000 pounds per square inch (700 bars), which would boost the cars fuel capacity to extend the driving range. DRIVE BY WIRE TECHNOLOGY The Hy-wires brain is a central computer housed in the middle of the chassis. It sends electronic signals to the motor control unit to vary the speed, the steering mechanism to maneuver the car, and the braking system to slow the car down. The central computer is connected to an array of advanced sensors. Based on input from the driver, the computer activates the different actators to control the motion of the vehicle. The driver doesnt actually drive the car directly: He or she gives instructions and the computer decides how to carry them out. The computer constantly makes adjustments on it to improve the driving performance the computer artificially creates a relatively smooth ride. The computer is connected to the bodys electronics through universal docking ports. The UDP transmits a constant
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stream of electronic command signals from the car controller to the central computer, as well as feedback signals from the computer to the controller. Additionally, it provides the electric power needed to operate all of the bodys onboard electronics.

FIGURE 5

THE HY-WIRE'S X-DRIVE

FIGURE 6 THE X-DRIVE CAN SLIDE TO EITHER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE

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The drivers control unit, dubbed the X-drive has to ergonomic groups, positioned to the left and right of a small LCD monitor. To steer the car, you glide the gripes up and down lightly, you dont have to keep rotating a wheel to turn, and you just have to hold the grip in the turning position. To accelerate; you turn either grip, in the same way you would turn the throttle on a motor cycle; and to brake you squeeze either grip. Electronic motion sensors, translate the motion of the X-drive in to a digital signal the computer can recognize. Buttons on the controller let you switch easily from neutral to drive to rivers, and a starter buttons turns the car on. Absolutely everything is hand controlled. The 5.8 inch (14.7 centimeter) color monitor in the center of the controller displays all the stuff youd normally find on the dashboard 9speed, mileage, fuel level). It also gives you rear-view images from video cameras on the sides and back of the car, in place of conventional mirrors. A second monitor, on a console beside the driver, shows you stereo, climate control and navigation information. Since it doesnt directly drive any part of the car, the X-drive could really go anywhere in the passenger compartment. In the current Hy-wire sedan model, the X-drive swings around to either of the front two seats, so you can switch drivers without even getting up. Its also easy to adjust the Xdrive up or down to improve driver comfort. One of the amazing things about the drive-by-wire system is that you can fine-tune vehicle handling without changing
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anything in the cars mechanical components all it takes to adjust the steering, accelerator or brake sensitivity is some new computer software. One fuel cell only puts out a little bit of power, so you need to combine many cells into a stack to get much use out of the process. The fuel-cell stack in the Hy-wire is made up of 200 individual cells connected in series, which collectively provide 94 kilowatts of continuous power and 129 kilowatts at peak power. The compact cell stack is kept cool by a conventional radiator system thats powered by the fuel cells themselves. The fuel system delivers DC voltage ranging from 125 to 200 volts, depending on the load in the circuit. A transformer in motor controller boosts this up to 250 to 380 volts and converts it to AC current to drive the three-phase electric motor that rotates the wheels. The electric motors job is to apply torque to the front wheel axle to spin the two front wheels. The control unit varies the speed of the car by increasing or decreasing the power applied to the motor. When the controller applies maximum power from the fuel-cell stack, the motors rotor spins at 12000 revolutions per minute, delivering a torque of 159 pound-feet. A single-stage planetary gear, with the wheels, thats enough torque to move the 4200 -pound (1905-kg) car 100 miles per hour (161 kph) on a level road. Smaller electric motors maneuver the wheels to steer the car, and electrically controlled.

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FIGURE 7 GM'S DIAGRAM OF THE AUTONOMY DESIGN

ADVANTAGES: 1. Fuel efficient - Since a fuel cell propulsion system is about twice as efficient as an internal combustion engine, a fuel cell vehicle could provide twice the fuel efficiency of a comparably sized conventional vehicle, and an optimized fuel cell vehicle like Hy-wire would be even more efficient. 2. Environment friendly - Since the reaction through which the power is generated is 2H2+O2=>2H2O the only bi-product formed is water, which is a non-pollutant. Since there is no burning or other oxidation process in the releasing of energy harmful components like nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, carbon oxides and
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other unburnt products are not produced. Hence these cars are highly eco-friendly. 3. High stability - As all the technical elements have been nicely blended into the chassis, most of the power train load has been evenly distributed between the front and rear of the chassis. This provides a low center of gravity, giving the architecture both a high stability and driving dynamics potential. This contributes to the overall safety of the vehicle, by enabling superior handling, while resisting rollover forces, with the tallest body attached. 4. Highly spacious - As there are no linkages and engine lot of legroom space is available for the passengers. 5. Driver friendly - As the X-drive does not have any physical linkages with the steering controller, it can be taken to anywhere inside the car. Moreover as everything that drives the car is housed in the chassis, the driver does not have to sit behind a mass of machinery. This gives the driver a clear view of the road and thus increases the drivability. 6. Freedom of individual expression - As the chassis would be common for most the Hy-wire vehicles, one can easily remove the entire passenger compartment and replace it with a different one. This leads to the freedom of individual expression. For example if one wants to switch from a van to a sports car, he does not need an entirely new car; he only needs a new body (which would be a lot cheaper).

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FIGURE 8 GM CONCEPT OF THE AUTONOMY WITH AND WITHOUT A BODY ATTACHED

DISADVANTAGES 1. Low safety - The big concern with drive-by-wire vehicles is safety. Since there is no physical connection between the driver and the cars mechanical elements, an electrical failure would mean total loss of control. In order to make this sort of system viable in the real world, drive-by-wire cars will need back- up power supply and redundant electronic linkages. 2. Storage and transportation of hydrogen fuels - The other major hurdle for this type of car is figuring out energyefficient method for producing, transporting and storing hydrogen
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for the on board fuel cell stack. With the current state of technology, actually the production of the hydrogen fuel can generate about as much pollution as using gasoline engines. 3. Pricing - With the current status of development, manufacturing of the Hy-wire cars on a mass scale would not at all be economical. According to the present accounts, the cost for manufacturing even a single Hy-wire car would be about 1 to 2 crores. FUTURE OF HY-WIRE Looking in to the future, Burns says he thinks fuel cells offer a promising alternative, but he recognizes that they need to be compelling, affordable, and profitable. One area GM is tackling is hydrogen storage. GM partnered with Quantum Technologies to develop a prototype tank that will give you a driving range of up to 300 miles before you have to refuel. Burns says GM is looking into other ways it can store compressed hydrogen, Theres liquid for hydrogen and theres also metal hydride when youre storing hydrogen in a solid state, he said. Keebler says another solution could be to build a hydrogen reformer into the car, which would enable it to turn other fuels into hydrogen. You could also house these reforms at gas stations, he says. Burns says you could distribute the gasoline the same way you do today, but it would go through a reformer at the pump, creating hydrogen from the gas. Burns sees a world where GM
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overcomes those obstacles and your car becomes part of your energy solution and not the problem. Lets imagine a world in which you could come home at night and pull your hydrogen fuel cell vehicle into your garage. The first thing you do is connect it to some compressed hydrogen tanks that are also in your garage and you put hydrogen into your vehicle. You are refueling at home, he said. At the end of the day, if you have some leftover hydrogen in your tank, you could also use it to power your home. He says he also envisions you being able to plug your car into your citys electric grid and selling back fuel you dont use. Keebler says he likes what he has seen from the Hy-wire overall. He hasnt been able to test-drive it yet. But he said, If they can pull that off, they will have indeed leaped over the completion. CONCLUSION The Hy-wire concept has so profoundly brought about changes in the automotive industry that GM and other auto makers are planning to move beyond the conventional car, towards a computerized environment friendly alternative. They are actually planning to launch such a vehicle for the public usage by the year 2020, hoping that they can overcome all the drawbacks faced by the Hy-wire car. Anyway, in all likelihood life on the highway will see some major changes within the next few decades.

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REFERENCES 1. www.popularmechanics.com 2. www.gm.com 3. www.motortrend.com 4. www.fuelcellonline.com 5. www.avista.com

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