Progress

Things are going ahead of schedule. I have already fulfilled all of the deadlines, and I am starting on my work on the  Kalwad model. I have came in to contact with Kriti Kalwad, and she has greed to assist in supplying me with all information she has (she had to rush her project, so much vital information did not make it in to the report. In addition, I have stayed in touch with bengt and I have obtained a new model of the guideway from him.

A new project!

            Something very exciting has happened quite recently, because I have just started on a new research project! This time, I will be working on performing stress analysis using ANSYS. I will be building off of Bengt Gustaffson's response to the Kalwad report to implement . The steps and deadlines for the project go as follows: By 11/05/16: Learn ANSYS. By 11/26/16: Get Model of guideway uploaded to ANSYS and take in to account Bengt's suggestions. By 12/17/16 Obtain Peak stress, max von mises stress, realistic podcar loads, torsion, and bending stresses. I will also have to write up a final report that includes a title page, table of contents, table of figures and tables, introduction / background to why this work is important for the Spartan Superway, state myspecific project (ANSYS Analysis), what Ifound, results, and conclusion.

I have already mastered the basics of ansys, and am now going through the tutorials.



Some of my work in progress:

Week 08/01-08/05

This week was quite an interesting one. First, I went with Ron and the small scale track team to TCI Aluminum and Vanderbend to obtain quotes for both companies, then I helped prepare some of the Korean intern's final reports so they would be ready for the next team to assemble.

Week 07/17-22

This week was a much calmer week for me. I did research on linear motors, estimated the necessary force and power needed for propulsion of the bogie, and talked with a potential sponsor for linear motors. Unfortunately, after getting a quote on the cost for linear motors, it was decided that the team should not pursue such technology and focus on rotary motors instead (also, the team has very little experience with such technology, and since they have only two months here, they  would not have enough time). Alxeandre is thinking about charting out the course for his summer work as follows: 1. Assemble a model of the cabin, 2. Make a test power of the cabin with a direct plug, and 3. Make the framework for wayside electrification.

Week 07/10-07/15

What a week! On monday, I got ready for the conferance, on Tuesday, I gave the presentation at the conferance. On wednesday, i started to co-oridnate with Jon Pan about regenerative braking systems. On Thursday and friday, I started preliminary research on linear motors as well as assisting the French with their PowerPoint. It seems that we will be doing research to see if linear motors are pragmatic for the Spartan Superway. Linear motors are like unfolded AC motors, in which a rotor will move in a linear motion alongside a stator. So far, my research reports that such systems are Linear motors reduce the overall weight of the bogie, allow for tighter radial stearing, are much more quiet, and work much better with Regenerative braking systems. Currently, the future looks bright, and I am excited to see what happens!


An example of a linear motor

ASES

WOW!!!!! I had an amazing time at the ASES solar 2016 conference. I met alot of people from all aspects about  different companies of solar, One company that stood out was a Japanese company called I-pals that did quantitative shadow analysis, something that I found as highly relevant to my paper. I was also interested in the green city of Freiburg.

The Freiburg presentation

My favorite part of the journey was when I gave my presentation. I felt as if I had just passed a major milestone in my life, and I hope I did a good job!




After the presentations, I hung out in fisherman's wharf with the French interns, we all had alot of fun.

Alexandre's girlfriend with an intern we meet

Wrap up of research

This week was the most productive, stressful, and enjoyable one I have had in the superway. First, I modeled the entire South campus guideway over the weekend. Then, I performed shadow analysis over this week. Now, all I have to do is finish up my paper, make my presentation, and create the poster.



An example of the Superway model


An example of the shadow analysis on the stadium

Week 5: It actually happenned

Finally! After much waiting, my group was finally able to get the terrain data. Soon enough, our friends at encitra generated a terrain map of downtown San Jose. Furthermore, I have been assigned to work on modeling the guideway. It has been decided that I will base the route design off of the civil team's. I have already started work, and I just need to keep going

An picture of the Civil team's map is on top, and a picture of the guideway/terrain model is on the bottom.

For the next week, I will focus on creating the route, performing shadow analysis, and finishing my paper. Anyways, in one week, everything should be finished, and I am defiantly excited for the future!

Week 4

This week was a paradigm shifting one for me. I started out by modeling the international house in Encitra with Konrad (as part of the software training mandated by the Swedes). On wednesday, after communication with my fellow solar team members, I started research on regenerative braking systems. I made a database of transportation networks that use such technology, as well as possible storage systems that we could use for our own regenerative braking. Afterwards, I worked on the solar and design team presentations.

The International house



My research on regenerative braking systems

Week 3

This week was a very calm one, as the Brazilians went on vaction. This week, I finished the first project in Encitra (making a house). I also brainstormed some ideas with for creating the "strap in" mechanism for solar panels. In addition, I did some research on how to make emulate the Brittmore group automatic solar pv system.

Ideas for fastening the solar panel

Ideas for attaching the solar panel

 Hello everyone, as you all know, we are trying to design a fastening system to keep the Solar panels in place. Specifically, we want the solar panels to be able to directly attach on to the guideway without any other contraption acting as a "middle-man". And after an excellent lunchtime brainstorming session with Ron Swenson, we have come up with 12 ideas.

1. Pen inspired lock

Taking inspiration from a pen, we could have a mounting system that "locks in" when pushed in, and with proper care can be taken out.

2. Latch

Latches are similar to the fasteners that you see on suitcases. One simply has to "click on" the solar panels to the guide-way

3. Nuts and Bolts

Nothing too fancy here, only using nuts and bolts to directly pin the Solar panels on to the guideway.

4. Adhesives

Adhesive materials could be used to directly stick the solar panels on to the guideway. Advantages of this method include not needing to use mechanical parts, less weight, and aesthetic pleasure, while disadvantages include potential issues with upholding the solar panels and susceptibility to temperature variations

5. String

Use sturdy string to maintain the guideway

6. Explosives

Ron suggested the rather interesting idea of using explosives to fasten the solar panels to the supports. The idea is modeled in the following picture. The first object is a cylindrical object that is partially empty with a diameter and an opening with a smaller diameter. The second rod represents the fastening system, with a diameter that matches the opening. Once we insert the rod inside, a chemical reaction will take place, causing the portion of the rod in the can to expand, locking it in to the can.

7. Velcro

Simply use Velcro to attach the solar panels to the mount the solar panels to the guideway. You can think of this like a less intense version of the adhesive

8. Monkeytrap

Similar idea to the explosion. In Africa, hunters have devised these jar-like system in which bate is placed inside to lure monkeys. The monkeys will be lured to jar, place their hand inside to grab the bate, and will be unable to escape because their fist will be too large for the diameter.

9. Chinese finger trap

Translate the Chinese finger trap system  to the superway?

10. Cable tires

Use Cable tires to fasten the panels to the track?

11. Grommets

Use Gromets as holes, and attach the solar panel in, and use button like objects to fit in to the gromets

12. Magnets

Use magnets to fasten the superway together?

Week 1 + 2

Wow! What a time everything has been! I have joined the solar team, having a really good time with my roomates. For my work, I have decided to write an academic paper concerning how shadows cast in an urban environment can impact the power generation of solar panels. To do this task, I will the the Encintra modeling software to recreated the south campus route, and then analyze the shadows cast during morning, noon, and afternoon. My work will be published at the SOLAR 2016 conference in San Fransisco. I have finished writing the first draft, and now all I have to do is learn to use the software.

Pictures

Olá Mundo

Hello, my name is Isaac Gendler, and I will be working as the Research intern coordinator for the Summer 2016 session of the Spartan Superway. My job entails time-keeping all of the interns, self- learning Portuguese through the use of duolingo, and performing research on a differential GPS navigation system.

Having just completed the first year of University at San Jose State, I have a broad array of interests.
I enjoy  writing science, running, learning languages, listening to music, reading science fiction/philosophy, lecturing about subjects that inspire me, and (of course) engineering

My LinkedIn is located here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isaacgendler

All I can say is that I look forward to working with the Spartan Superway.