PonagansetHigh School’s
Fuel Cell Education Initiative
Model T Project
Submitted to:
Bonneville Power Administration
August 2006
Submitted by
Mr. Ross McCurdy
Director, Fuel Cell Education Initiative
PonagansetHigh School
137 Anan Wade Road
North Scituate, RI02857
Email:
Phone (PHS) 401-647-3377
Executive Summary
Education through demonstration and projects-based learning are key components of PonagansetHigh School’s Fuel Cell Education Initiative. The demonstration projects began with the creation of Protium, the world’s first fuel cell-powered band, and led to the creation of a Rhode Island’s first fuel cell vehicle, a two passenger Quadracycle. After completing successful test drives with the fuel cell Quadracycle it was decided to embark on another project, one significantly more ambitious. After considerable brainstorming, PonagansetHigh School’s Model T project was born.
For this project a full size, street legal replica of a 1923 Ford Model T Roadster was selected for powerplant conversion from a gasoline-chugging Chevrolet 350 cubic inch V8 engine to a zero pollution electric vehicle. The Model T project was planned to develop in two phases, with phase I being the conversion to battery electric power and phase II being the integration of a fuel cell power system.
1.0Introduction……………………………………………………………………..page 4
2.0Safety………………………..…………………………………………………..page 4
3.0Background…..………………………………………………………………….page 5
4.0The Model T Project ………..…………………………………………………..page 6
5.0Registration……..…………………..…………………………………………...page 8
6.0Initial Baseline Data Collection ………………………………………….……..page 8
7.0Inspection……………….…………………………………………….…………page 9
8.0Weighing the T…….…………………………………………….………………page 10
10.0 Media Coverage……………..…………………………………………………page 11
11.0 The Conversion Begins…… ………………………………..………….….…...page 12
12.0 Batteries………..………………………………………………………….…….page 14
13.0 Brakes…………………………………………..…..………………….….……..page 14
14.0 Upgrades…………………….………………………………..………...... …….page 15
15.0Control Board and Wiring……………………………………………...………..page 15
16.0 Amgen Exhibition……………………………………...……………..…..……page 16
17.0 Getting Close………………………………………….……….………..…….…page 16
18.0 Driveway Testing……..…………………………………………..….…..………page 16
19.0 Rhode Island Sustainable Living Festival…….……………….………...………page 17
20.0 Road Testing the T……………..………….……………………………..………page 17
21.0 Clutchless Shifting…………..……….………...……………………..…………page 18
22.0 Ancients and Horribles Parade…..………………………………………………page 18
23.0 New Wheels………………………………………………………………………page 19
24.0 The Fuel Cell Arrives……………………………………………………………page 19
25.0 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………..page 20
26.0 Sponsors and Acknowledgements…………………………………………….…page 21
26.0 Model T Specifications…………………………………………..………………page 22
26.0 Appendix I………………………………………………………………………..page 23
26.0 Appendix II……………………………………………………………………..…page 26
26.0 Appendix III………………………………………………………….……………page 28
26.0 Appendix IV………….……………………………………………………………page 32
26.0 Appendix V…………………………………………………..……………………page 34
Introduction:
The United States is a nation obsessed with the automobile. With the introduction of Henry Ford’s Model T virtually any working citizen could afford to drive an automobile, and most did. To Americans, cars meant mobility, freedom, excitement, and served as rolling status symbols. Mass production of the automobile forever changed American culture.
Unfortunately, the many benefits of the automobile came at a price, particularly in regards to the environment. With millions of cars on the road every day, the tailpipe emissions from vehicles are considerable. In the United States, as in most industrialized nations, approximately half the air pollution is produced by vehicles.
Producing no emissions when driving, electric vehicles offer considerable hope in alleviating the pollution problem. However, electric vehicles do present some challenges including limited range and long charging times, typically overnight. Fuel Cell vehicles have all the emission benefits of a conventional (if there is such a thing) electric vehicle, but with much greater range and the potential to refuel as rapidly as with a gasoline or diesel powered vehicle. Offering such great promise, fuel cell vehicles have been widely covered in the popular media and all the major carmakers have been building prototypes for years. Although some are made available to government and universities through special leasing programs, fuel cell vehicles are still not available to the general public. This is primarily due the extremely high price of production at this time.
We had already formed a fuel cell-powered band and we wanted a fuel cell vehicle. Since we couldn’t afford to buy one, we decided to build one. That decision led us to the development of our Fuel Cell Quadracycle.
Safety:
Safety is the first priority! Before starting any work on a vehicle project ensure that all individuals involved are familiar with the proper safety procedures and the potential hazards. The hazards inherent with all vehicles and vehicle conversions include flammable fuels (gasoline), heavy weights, high temperatures, power tools, high voltage, toxic compounds (antifreeze), and corrosive compounds (sulfuric acid in batteries).
Safety goggles, gloves, and other protective gear should be worn when required by the work environment. Large numbers of vehicle projects have been safely completed. Following proper safety procedures will help ensure a safe and rewarding vehicle project.
Background:
The Fuel Cell Quadracycle:
While a close second to rock and roll, vehicles are one of the most exciting applications of fuel cell technology. Just about every red-blooded American guy, and many women as well, are totally into cars, and the students in fuel cell class were certainly no exception. Our goal was to create a functional fuel cell vehicle as a class project. Funding from the Fuel Cell Test and EvaluationCenter along with another $4,000 Perkins grant provided the funds and we already had the Relion and Airgen fuel cells to work with. Perhaps the single biggest challenge with fuel cell vehicles is the price of fuel cells. Fuel cells cost anywhere from $3,000 to $10,000 per kilowatt, with 1 kW fuel cells generally in the $6,000 range. One kilowatt equals 1 1/3 horsepower and in doing the math things get expensive fast.
The project guidelines were that it had to safely transport two people at a speed over 10 mph and stay within a $5,000 budget plus already available equipment. The students were each assigned the task of researching and designing a fuel cell vehicle that met the criteria, and a selection would be made to create the actual project. The students came up with numerous and varied proposals, some of which where humorously nonfunctional for cost or technical reasons, and some which were very well thought out and quite viable. The selected design was proposed by a student using the Rhoades Car Quadracycle, essentially a 4-wheeled bicycle, as the vehicle platform.
Our Rhoades Car Quadracycle was a four passenger model with a 750 watt, 24 volt electric motor and controller drive system designed to operate with two deep cycle 12 volt batteries wired in series to get the necessary 24 volts.
Our Fuel Cell Quadracycle (FCQ) is a fine example of “caveman engineering”. We removed the two back seats and bolted on a ½ inch thick plywood platform, to which we mounted the Airgen fuel cell and a Q size hydrogen cylinder. The problem of converting the 120 volt AC output power of the Airgen to 24 volts DC needed by the motor and controller was easily solved. Iota Engineering kindly donated a 24 volt battery charger/power supply; we plugged the Iota into the Airgen’s AC output and connected the 24 volt output of the Iota to the controller. Much to our delight, the system actually worked as expected. We first test drove the Fuel Cell Quadracycle in the school’s hallways using power from the Airgen only. While the system worked ok, there was noticeable lag in acceleration and the power was not as smooth as with battery operation. We also ran the FCQ as a fuel cell/battery hybrid which worked very well. The two Optima deep cycle batteries serve as a power buffer between the drive system and the fuel cell, resulting in much smoother acceleration and smoother power overall. Interestingly, at full charge and prior to driving, the Optima batteries have a voltage reading of about 13.5 volts each. After running the vehicle for an hour or so in fuel cell/battery hybrid mode the voltage reading on the two Optima batteries is about 14.3 volts each. What this means is that the fuel cell is not only supplying the electricity necessary to power the FCQ, but is also putting more power into the batteries since the Iota battery charger puts in a higher voltage than the smaller stock battery charger that came with the vehicle.
The FCQ is able to cruise at 12+ mph with two people with an estimated range of 20 miles on fuel cell power alone and 40 miles as a fuel cell/battery hybrid. While essentially a four-wheeled bicycle with limited power and range, the FCQ was able to earn recognition as Rhode Island’s first fuel cell-powered vehicle and received an article in the Providence Journal (Appendix I). It is also fun to point out that Henry Ford’s first vehicle was also a modest Quadracycle that he built in 1896.
The students had a good time driving the FCQ around the school parking lot during Fuel Cell Class and a lot of rides were given during the school-wide field day event. One of the original goals for the FCQ project was a twenty mile drive from Ponaganset High to the Rhode Island State House to help generate publicity and support for fuel cells and energy education. While the FCQ is capable of the distance, the limited 12 mph speed of the vehicle might tend to be an annoyance to other motorists and obstructing traffic is probably not the best means of promoting fuel cells. Plans to upgrade the FCQ were considered, but even with upgrades it is still essentially a four-wheeled bicycle with limited performance. The FCQ served as an excellent lesson for the students and the primary goals were achieved. It was time to consider moving ahead with another, more ambitious vehicle project.
Model T Project:
For our next fuel cell vehicle project our goal was the creation of a full-size, street legal, fuel cell vehicle capable of cruising at the speed of normal traffic. The same student who came up with the idea of using the Rhoades Car platform for the FCQ suggested using a Ford Model T “T-bucket” style vehicle for our fuel cell project. Further research revealed that a Model T style vehicle was a great platform for many reasons. The original Model T’s had only 20 horsepower and a top speed of 40 mph, specifications that are within the realm of attainment, the vehicles are simple, easy to get parts for and work on, the Model T is historically significant as the vehicle that made the automobile affordable to the masses, and best of all these cars are really cool! It was decided to implement two phases for the project, with phase I being the conversion of the vehicle to battery electric power using a dozen 12 volt deep cycle batteries for an estimated range of 25 miles, and phase II the integration of a range-extending fuel cell with the goal of achieving a range over 100 miles.
With no place to store a full size vehicle and nowhere near the funding needed for such a project, once again we sought and gained Principal Joe Maruszczak’s support for the endeavor, and we were on our way. Initial funding for the Fuel Cell T came from the Fuel Cell Test and EvaluationCenter, along with $5,000 from the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation, which manages the state landfill and recycling operations. With this initial start a presentation was made to the Rhode Island State Energy Office. The presentation included information on Ponaganset High’s Fuel Cell Education Initiative, Protium, the Fuel Cell Quadracycle, and the plans for the Fuel Cell Model T. The presentation was a success and the Rhode Island State Energy Office dedicated generous funding for the project; enough to complete phase I, conversion to battery-electric power, with some remaining to put towards phase II, integration of the fuel cell.
Once funding was available the next logical step was to research vehicles and components for the project. With an internet search we found the Total Performance company in nearby Connecticut (it was good to see that all the cool hot rod builders aren’t just in California) that specializes in Model T style and other hot rods available in both kits and complete vehicles ready to drive.
The folks at Total Performance were very helpful and gave an estimate that seemed quite reasonable, about $15,000 for a completed vehicle without the engine or transmission, which we wouldn’t need for our project.
We were open to other possibilities as well, and it just so happened that along the 14 mile, mostly scenic commute to Ponaganset High was a house with a big garage filled with hot rods and guys working on them. Since he was obviously into cool old cars, we dropped in unannounced to say hello and share information on our project just for the heck of it with Mr. Jim Sullivan, the gentleman who lived there. It turned out that Jim is an electrical engineer with a passion for hot rods and the expertise to work on them, and a genuine interest in our Fuel Cell Model T project. Serendipitously, he also had recently purchased a 1992 Total Performance 1923 style T-bucket that he had worked on and was looking to sell. We amicably worked out the price of $7,500 not including the engine and transmission, which were to be returned after collecting the initial data on the vehicle including emissions, overall weight, weight per axle, miles per gallon etc. With a project of this nature it is important to collect all the initial data needed, because once removed, the gasoline engine was not going back in. Along with selling us the ideal vehicle for a great price, Jim volunteered to help out with the many technical aspects of the project. With his years of experience in electrical engineering and hot rods, Jim’s help is a highly valuable and welcome asset.
Having found the platform vehicle, we also needed the electric motor, controller, charger, and all the other components required to convert a vehicle from gasoline to electric power. One of the most experienced people in the country with electric vehicle conversions is Bob Batson, of EV America.
Bob has been helping individuals, schools, colleges, and other organizations with electric vehicle projects since the 80’s. We contacted Bob and received lots of great information including prices. The main electrical components including a 30 horsepower Advanced DC Motor and a 500 Amp Curtis Controller came to about $6,000 (batteries not included, as usual). Bob also put us in touch with a man who was parting out his converted to electric Chevy S-10 pickup who gave us a price of $1000 for all his used EV parts that he had purchased from Bob Batson about 7 years earlier. The person selling the parts, a man named Gary Powers (no relation to the Cold War U2 pilot shot down in the USSR) kindly agreed to drive the parts from his home in Pennsylvania and meet us halfway at the New York state border. The evening before the meeting I was rereading one of the books Bob Batson sent entitled “From Gasoline to Electric, a Conversion Experience” and realized the author was none other than Gary Powers, the person who was selling the parts, and from the very vehicle that he wrote his book about. It was great meeting Gary, who autographed several copies of his book for us. Gary’s book is an easy read with loads of useful information including many of the challenges that one is bound to encounter in a conversion project. The book is assigned to the students in Fuel Cell class and is highly recommended for anyone interested in learning about converting to an electric vehicle.
We now had the platform vehicle and the major electric components. The next step was to get the vehicle registered and drive it with the gasoline motor to collect the baseline data. As simple as this sounds, this step turned out to take some time. This type of project had never been done before in our school district, so there was no established protocol or procedure in place, and with school systems the protocol and procedures generally need to be established before things happen. Sounding something like the quotes that students select for their honor society induction, we got to be the pioneers that blazed the trail. The district business manager and building supervisor were a huge help and put in a lot of work to get things going. The registration of the FCT project vehicle became an agenda item for the August 2005 school committee meeting and the school committee members unanimously and enthusiastically approved the registration of the Fuel Cell T project vehicle. While the go-ahead to register our project vehicle took time to accomplish, I learned that it took Jim Dunn, the man behind Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s Fuel Cell Airplane project, about three years to register the project plane with the FAA. The FAA kept asking him how many cylinders it had (answer: none). It seems that one of the key ingredients for these innovative projects is time.
Another challenge with our FCT project was storage space for the T-bucket. Ponaganset High was designed for about 800 students maximum and now has about 1000 enrolled, so space is hard to come by. The solution was a twenty foot enclosed auto carrier trailer purchased with the grant funding for the project, which arrivedin August 2005, the same month that the registration for the T-bucket was approved. The ground work for the project took the majority of the 2004-2005 academic year; the actual work of converting the T to electric power and integrating the fuel cell was about to begin.