R V College Of Engineering

Bangalore

Project
Garuda

Design
Report

Project Garuda

1.Mission Statement:
The overall goal of this project is to design and fabricate a single-person,
fuel efficient vehicle powered by a modified, iso-octane burning Honda
four-cycle 2.1 hp motor. The objective of the Supermileage Team is to
apply our engineering knowledge and experience to design and build a
vehicle that will achieve in excess of 1000 miles per gallon while satisfying
all of the Shell Eco Marathon Competition rules and requirements. This
target will be met by designing and constructing a lightweight,
aerodynamic shell that will house a modified Honda 50cc engine.

2.Introduction:
RVCE Supermileage team consists of student from various engineering
backgrounds working on a common objective of building a highly fuel
efficient vehicle making this project truly interdisciplinary. Over the last
few months the project has made significant progress and is now currently
working on the 2011 prototype to take part in the Shell Eco Marathon
Event.
2.1.Our Aims and Targets:
Build on existing platform and optimize the Design efficiencies
Target to obtain a mileage of more than 1000mpg
Use the Supermileage energy efficient platform, to test out alternate
energy options and optimize automobile energy requirements
To improvise existing design and develop expertise in the field of
1) Automobile Design and Manufacturing
2) Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
3) Engine Design
4) Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) Systems
The main intent of this project however, is to collaborate with various
minds across the industry and build on technical knowhow.

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Dept of Mechanical Engineering

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3.Vehicle Configurations:
Our vehicle is a single seater and has three wheels. The driver sits in a
reclined position with his/her legs directed towards the front of the
vehicle.
The two independent wheels are mounted on the front and the drive is
sent to the rear wheel.
The Engine, transmission and its associated components are mounted in
the rear section of the vehicle, that is, just behind the firewall and the rollcage.
The steering system controlling the front two wheels is based on the
Ackermann Steering System, taken from a go-kart.
Our Chassis is made of tubular aluminum and the shell is made out of
Fiber Reinforced Plastic, a patented plastic generously donated by General
Electric (GE).
Overall length of the car is 2400mm, maximum width being 600mm and
maximum height above the ground being 700 mm. the minimum ground
clearance is 100mm.

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Dept of Mechanical Engineering

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VEHICLE SYSTEMS:
4.Engine:
The engine of the Shell Eco-Marathon car is power source for the vehicle,
converting chemical energy stored in the fuel to rotational mechanical
energy output by the driveshaft. Three different base engines were
considered for the Eco Marathon vehicle including: a modified SAE Briggs
and Stratton engine, a Honda GX35 used by the 2010 Eco-Marathon team,
and a Honda GX50.
4.1. SAE Briggs and Stratton:
Teams entering the society of Automobile Engineers (SAE) Supermileage
competition are required to use a 148cc Briggs and Stratton engine as the
basis of their design.Garuda team in the past have experimented with this
engine and made progressive modifications to the base engine including
converting a side head valve engine to over head valve engine and
reducing the displacement by altering the bore and stroke. The engine has
not run for several years and is less efficient than some of the stock
engines because its design is not optimized to run at the lower
displacement it has been modified to. We are not planning to compete at
the SAE Supermileage, therefore the use of Briggs and Stratton engine will
not be required. Using a small displacement base engine will have the
advantage of a more optimized design and a significant weight reduction
over the Briggs and Stratton engine, giving us an advantage over teams
planning to compete at the SAE event.
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Dept of Mechanical Engineering

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4.2. Honda GX35:

The 2010 RVCE Supermileage team used a 35cc Honda engine.The Honda
engine is small and light but produces its maximum power and torque at
high engine speeds where fuel consumption is also high. As well, the
vehicle as currently designed has been proven underpowered for initial
acceleration, partly due to the insufficient torque available from the
engine. Further the engine is designed for use with carburetor and would
require significant modifications to convert to a fuel injection system.
These limitations warranted research into stock fuel injected engines
suitable for the application and the decision to pursue a new base engine
for the 2011 Eco-Marathon vehicle.
4.3.Bajaj Kristal Engine:
The 95cc Bajaj Kristal engine is designed for fuel economy and comes with
a stock auto clutch system. The engine is compact and light weight, while
incorporating many of the advanced technologies used on larger
displacement engines. We plan to incorporate an electronic fuel injection
system to this engine to have greater control over the air to fuel ratio.
With these few additions the Bajaj Kristal engine should provide an
excellent base engine for our design and for future Eco-Marathon teams to
improve on. Based on the discussion presented above the Bajaj Kristal
engine was selected as the base engine for the 2011 Eco-Marathon
vehicle.

Bajaj Kristal Engine

5. Fuel System:
The fuel system is responsible for supplying the correct air/fuel mixture to
the engine for combustion, balancing power output and fuel consumption.
Our design requirements specifically state that the 2011 Shell EcoMarathon car will use a fuel injection system (for improved fuel delivery),
so a carbureted system was not considered as an option. As well, Shell
does not permit the use of electric fuel pumps for the Eco-Marathon
competition. The remaining two options were: manifold injection with a
mechanical fuel pump and throttle body injection with pressurized fuel.
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Dept of Mechanical Engineering

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5.1. Direct Injection (MI) with a Mechanical Fuel Pump:

Direct Injection is the most efficient form of fuel injection where high
pressure fuel is delivered to the cylinder during compression stroke (figure
3). A mechanical fuel pump, driven by the engines crankshaft, would
provide the power to pressurize fuel. Direct Injection offers precise control
of fuel metering and excellent fuel distribution to the engine. As well,
direct injection requires precise control of injection timing and is
uncommon in small engines.

5.2. Throttle Body Injection with a Pressurized Fuel System:

Throttle body injection delivers fuel to intake air instead of directly into
the cylinder. Throttle body injection requires lower fuel pressures than
direct injection systems because the injection point is at lower pressure.
As a result, it is possible to pressurize the fuel with a compressed gas and
eliminate the need for a mechanical fuel pump, requiring no energy from
the engine. Throttle body injection offers comparable fuel metering
precision to direct injection and also requires less precise injection timing.
Based on these advantages, throttle body injection was selected for 2011
Eco-Marathon vehicle.

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Dept of Mechanical Engineering

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Fig: Throttle Body Injection

6. Electronic Control Unit (ECU) and Sensors:

Having the EFI (Electronic Fuel Injection) system gives a computer
controlled injection rather than a mechanically controlled one. The ECU
(Engine Control Unit) is incorporated and is designed as an embedded
microcontroller system with inputs and outputs connected to the ADCs
(Analog to Digital Converters) and DACs (Digital to Analog Converters)
respectively.
The reasons for using an ECU instead of the traditional carburetor system
are as follows:
1. Highly Accurate Air/Fuel Ratio Control Throughout all Engine Operating
Conditions.
2. Atomization of fuel occurs due to the injectors, creating better mixing of
air and fuel.
3. eliminates the head losses (pump losses) through the venture of the
carburetor.
4. And most importantly, Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) is considered to be
superior to carburetion because it allows more precise fuel metering for
easier starting, lower emissions, better fuel economy, and performance.
In addition, the EMS controls other subsidiary functions, which are as
follows:
1) The spark timing, discussed in the section on the ignition system.
2) Limiting the speed to which the engine can rev.
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Dept of Mechanical Engineering

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The layout of the EMS used in Garuda is shown below:

The Engine Management for our car is carried out by a simple and easyto-install ECU system. The RD0601 ready to use ECU kit implements the
above functions. The RD0601 is essentially a 32 bit, RISC (Reduced
Instruction Set Computer) microprocessor.
A generic block diagram of our Engine Management System is shown
below:

Sensors used include a Throttle Position Sensor (TPS), a Camshaft Position

Sensor and a Temperature Sensor. Details of each sensor used are given
below:
6.1. Throttle Position Sensor:
A DELPHI throttle position sensor
(Essentially a Hall Effect sensor) has
Been attached to a mechanical throttle
Body as shown in the picture.
Advantages of using this sensor:
*Non-contact sensor provides increased
Durability and reliability compared
To contact sensor designs.
*Contact sensor is physically separated
From the gearbox to avoid gear dust
Contamination of sensor and reduce shaft
Position variation for improved warranty performance
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Dept of Mechanical Engineering

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6.2. Camshaft Position Sensor:

A Suzuki Camshaft Position Sensor (a Hall
Effect sensor) is being used by us for accurate
Detection of the camshaft position.
Specifications:
a. RPM Range: 10 to 36000 RPM
b. Output Voltage: 0.4V dc max.

6.3. Temperature Sensor:

A DELPHI temperature sensor is used in our
Engine to measure temperature variations while
Engine runs. Mode of operation of such sensors
is a change in resistance of a thermistor inside
the sensor with variations in temperature.
This relation is inversely proportional in nature.
Specifications include:
Thermal and Electrical Properties
Typical voltage supply: 5 V DC
Operating temperature: -40C to +135C
Resistance at 25C: 2795 ohms
Thermal time constant: 60 seconds in dry air stream
Accuracy (C) -40C to +100C: 0.56 to 0.77
Accuracy (C) +100C to +150C: 0.77 to 1.24
A single actuator is being used presently, that being the fuel injector:
A DELPHI fuel injector is used for our purpose as it
Satisfies our requirements for spray pattern, linear range, working
flow range and operating voltage.

Specifications include:
*Injector quality performance...<1ppm
*IPTV at 12 months (4-cylinder applications)...<.7
*Plugging test cycles with <5% flow shift...>300 (Delphi test cycles)
*Dynamic durability, % at billion (1,000 million) cycles...+/-3%
*Tip leakage (mean cc/min) air at 420 kPa...<0.02 cc/min
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Dept of Mechanical Engineering

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*Spray SMD, m at 400 kPa, 3.0 g/s...<50 m

*Linear range with 5 V minimum...>16
*Minimum operating voltage at 400 kPa...<5.0 V
Picture shows the Multi Point Fuel Injection (MPFI)
Injector being used in our car. MPFI ensures better quality of fuel injection
and hence a complete optimized usage of fuel.
6.4.ECU MAPPING:
The RD0601 EMS system being used in our car utilizes a visual basic (VB)
software interface And hence provides us with the facility of fuel injection
and ignition timing control.
We use a 20*16 tuning map for fuel and ignition and a 10*1 tuning table
for injection opening time and ignition dwell based on battery voltage.
An added accessory is a 10*1 tuning map for fuel and ignition correction
based on the following factors :*) Air temperature.*) Engine
temperature.*) Battery voltage.*) Altitude. A rev limiter and a VTEC
(Variable valve Timing and lift Electronic Control).
The ecu maps are lockable and the injection sequence can be
programmed for fully sequential, semi-sequential or of batched operation.
A 20*16 map allows us to specify the injector nozzle open time for a wide
range of RPMS at particular engine load value. Real time mode of
operation shows us enigne rpm, temperature, air to fuel ratio in real time.
We then set the injector open time values in the map and 'Send to the
ECU'. 'Burn to ECU' stores the map values permanently in the ECU RAM.
The typical 20*16 injection map used by us is shown above.

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Dept of Mechanical Engineering

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All signals from sensors are fed to the microprocessor chip through a
simple data bus system. A serial bus / Bafo (a serial to USB adapter)
system connects the ECU system to our computers. The microprocessor
board runs on the same 12V battery source (1.4 Ah) being used for all
other systems onboard the car. Detailed studies on the ignition curves and
rpm v/s load curves gives us an idea about the optimum fuel amount to be
injected at the rpm level range at which our car will run.
The RD0601 ecu system has proven itself robust, reliable and easy to
use. Using the RD0601 we can display up to four of the available ECU
parameters and have the values updated in real-time as we drive. It also
decodes the internal ECU error codes as they occur and displays them in
real time.
Having the EFI (Electronic Fuel Injection) system gives a computer
controlled injection rather than a mechanically controlled one. Electronic
fuel injection is considered to be superior to carburetion because it allows
more precise fuel metering for easier starting, lower emissions, better fuel
economy and performance.

7.Drive mechanism:
The drive mechanism transfers the power generated by the engine to the
clutch, transmission and finally the rear wheel to propel the vehicle. Three
concepts for the drive mechanism were considered: belt drive, gear drive
and chain drive.
7.1.Belt Drive:
Belt drive systems use pulleys that grip the belt on either end while they
rotate transmitting the angular rotation of the input pulley to that of the
output pulley Friction belts, such as flat or v-belts, are unstable because of
inherent power loss when slippage occurs as high torque overcomes the
friction generated by the tension in the belt. A notched synchronized belt
is more efficient because it uses grooves cut into the belt, low in cost, and
do not require lubrication; however a belt drive is not as robust as a chain
or gear drive because belts tend to wear and stretch with extended use.
As well, synchronized belts are not compatible with belt drive
transmissions (such as variable diameter sheaves); therefore a secondary
drive mechanism would be required if a belt drive is used .The
disadvantages of a synchronized belt drive outweigh the benefits,
eliminates it as an option.
7.2.Gear Drive:
In a gear drive, power is transmitted through the teeth of meshing spur or
helical gears. A gear drive is efficient and has low maintenance, but
weighs significantly more than a belt drive or chain drive and is more
costly. As well, a gear drive is not practical for transmitting power over
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Dept of Mechanical Engineering

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distances that require idler gears to connect the driven and driving gears
because of the increased weight of the additional components. The layout
of the Eco-Marathon cars power train will require a distance between the
engines and drive wheel that would make a gear drive impractical, thus a
gear drive impractical, thus a gear drive is also unsuitable.
7.3.Roller Chain Drive:
The idea of a roller chain drive is much the same as a synchronized belt
system in that both the drive and driven pulleys or sprocket have teeth
that grip the notched roller chain as they rotate, transmitting power. Roller
chains are durable and offer high transmission efficiency at a reasonable
cost compared to a belt or gear drive.

8.Clutch:
A clutch is necessary to engage and disengage the engine to control
movement. As well, a clutch to disengage the engine while starting is a
requirement for the Shell Eco-Marathon. Three different clutch designs
were designs were considered: centrifugal clutch and cone clutch.

8.1. Centrifugal clutch:

A centrifugal clutch (Figure 4) uses the angular velocity of the engines
driveshaft to
Extend a rotating mass, creating pressure between two friction surfaces to
transmit
Power to an output shaft. At low engine speed, the clutch is disengaged
because the
Centrifugal force is not large enough to cause the rotating mass to move
the friction
Plate outward and lock onto the output mechanism. However, as the
engine speed
Increases the centrifugal force generated by the rotating mass pushes the
friction
Plate to the outer drum, allowing power to be transmitted. Centrifugal
clutches allow
The motor to develop high torque before engaging and operate at high
efficiencies
once engaged. Thus the centrifugal clutch is suitable for the Eco-Marathon
vehicle.

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Dept of Mechanical Engineering

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Figure 4: Centrifugal Clutch

8.2. Cone Clutch:

Friction cone clutches offer superior transmission of high torque because
the design
provides a wedging action that helps the frictional surfaces to bond
together (Figure
5). As a result of the wedging action, more force is required to disengage
the clutch
compared to a plate clutch. A cone clutch was eliminated because of its
additional
size, weight, and design complexity compared to a plate clutch described
below.

Figure 5: Cone Clutch

9. TRANSMISSION:
A transmission is required to provide a variety of gear ratios to optimize
fuel
efficiency throughout the range of operating speeds encountered during
the course of
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Dept of Mechanical Engineering

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the competition circuit. Three transmission designs were considered:

continuously
variable, planetary hub, and sprocket and chain.
9.1. Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT):
A CVT transmission (Figure 6) uses a mechanism to open and close both
the input
and output pulleys, changing the input to output gear ratio. A CVT
transmission
offers a large range of gear ratios and smooth shifting between gears. As
well, a CVT
can be designed to disengage at low speed, eliminating the need for a
separate clutch
mechanism. The major drawback of a CVT is inherently lower efficiency
due to belt
slippage and the weight of all the required components (sheaves, clutch
arms and
weights, springs, etc.). These disadvantages eliminated the CVT as an
option for the
Eco-Marathon transmission.

Figure 6: Continuously Variable Transmission

9.2. Planetary Hub Transmission:

A planetary hub transmission (Figure 7) uses a series of planetary gear
sets enclosed
in a bicycle wheel hub to offer a range of gear ratios. This design is
compact and
requires low maintenance. The drawbacks of a planetary hub transmission
are its
higher cost and weight compared to a simple chain derailleur system, as
well as its
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lack of availability at power ratings required for the engine of the EcoMarathon
vehicle. Planetary hub transmissions are typically designed for bicyclists
and are not
able to take the higher torque and speed of a gasoline engine, therefore
hub
transmission is unsuitable for the Eco-Marathon vehicle.

Figure 7: Hub Transmission

9.3. Direct Transmission:

A sprocket and chain transmission (Figure 8) similar to
that of a bicycle to move a roller chain from a large sprocket to a smaller
sprocket, effectively increasing the output-to-input gear ratio of the
transmission. The larger
gear would be used to provide the high torque needed to accelerate the
vehicle from
the starting line, while a smaller gear(s) would be used to provide
acceleration to top
speed. Advantages of a sprocket and chain transmission are its light
weight,
high efficiency, and low cost. A disadvantage of the sprocket and chain
transmission is its limited gear ratios compared to a CVT or planetary hub.
Overall,
the sprocket and chain is the best alternative for the Eco-Marathon
vehicles
transmission.

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Dept of Mechanical Engineering

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(fig 8:Direct Drive)

10. Final Design

The final design selection is based on an assembly made up of the five
components
discussed above. Table 1 summarizes the alternative chosen for each of
the five
components. Each of the components and its design will be discussed in
more detail
in the following section.
Table 1: Components Selected for Final Design
Component
Engine
Fuel System
Drive Mechanism
Clutch

Selected
Honda GXH50
TBI with Pressurised Fuel System
Roller chain
Centrifugal clutch

10.1.Engineering Design:
Intermidiate drive:

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Dept of Mechanical Engineering

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A direct chain drive from the engine to the wheel sprocket will be
incorporated. An automatic clutch assembly will be used to increase
efficiency.
The Honda GXH 50 cc engine comes with a power of 2.1 bhp (@7000rpm)
and a max torque of 2.8Nm (@4000rpm).
10.2. Calculations:
1. Sepang circuit distance (single lap) =2.8km
only 30% of this distance is done by running the
2. Number of laps to be done=4
3. Max time=28min (for 4 laps)=7min/lap
30% of this value=2.1min/lap=0.035hr/lap
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Dept of Mechanical Engineering

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engine=0.84km

Project Garuda

4. V= dist/time
0.84*1000 = 6.67m/s
0.035
5. V=W*r
6.67=W*0.127
(W)wheel=52.51rad/sec
Speed of wheel=60*33.35 = 501.46rpm
2*3.142
6. Speed of engine=4000rpm
(W)engine=2*3.142*4000 = 418.93rad/sec
60
7. (W)wheel = no. of teeth on engine shaft
(W)engine
no. of teeth on wheel sprocket
Assuming no. of teeth on engine shaft=12
418.93

12 teeth
no. of teeth on wheel sprocket

No. of teeth on wheel sprocket=100

8. Gear reduction=96/12=8

Intermediate Drive:
An intermediate drive will be included to change the direction of rotation
and also to change reduction since we need a reduction of 1:20.
So the number of teeth on the intermediate drive will be 48 and 20.
Acceleration:
1. T/r = F
2.8/0.0075 = 373N
2. F/20 = (F)wheel
373/20 = 18.65N
3. (F)wheel+mmg = ma
18.65+0.3*9.81*100 = 100*a
a=3.1295m/s
4. For 45kmph,
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v = u+at
45*10^3 = 0+3.1295t
3600
t=4 sec
For 65kmph, t=5.32sec

11. CHASSIS:
The material selected for construction of the chassis is aluminum 6063, T6
age hardened. This was our material of choice because of its relatively
high specific strength for its weight, ease of machinability and its
corrosion resistance.
We specifically chose 6063, T6 grade due to its availability in Bangalore
and due to its widespread use in structural applications.
Wheel base:
Wheel Track:
Maximum height:
Ground Clearance:
Chassis Material:

78 inches
18 inches
11 inches
6 inches
Tubular Aluminum, 6063, T6.

Tubular cross-sections employed: Square cross-section 1 X 2 and

circular cross-section of 1 diameter. Rectangular cross-sections were
preferred over Circular ones because they have a higher Moment of Inertia
(MI) and hence are stronger.
Tubing Specifications:
Al 6063, T6 properties:
Density: 2700 kg/m^3
Elastic Modulus: 70 - 80 GPA
Tensile Strength: 310 Mpa
Yield Strength: 275 Mpa
Tubing Dimensions:
Circular Tubing:
Outer Diameter: 1 inch
Tubing Thickness: 2.54mm
Rectangular Tubing:
External Dimensions: 1 inch X 2 inch
Tubing Thickness: 2.54mm
11.1.Chassis Design Methodology:
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The Shell Eco-Marathon Chassis components undergo a variety of loads

during operation. To assess the strength of chassis under different loading
conditions, we have used Inventor to validate our designs.
The various loads considered during the design of the chassis were:
A 75 kg load on the roll cage with varying force components.
Driver weight along with vehicle components.
Road reactions at the location where running gear is mounted.
Vibrations due to reciprocating parts in the engine.
Gyroscopic forces associated with the drive train.
Dynamic forces during turning, braking and acceleration.
The priorities taken into account while designing the chassis are:
To provide safety to by suitably designing the roll cage to protect the
driver in case of a rollover.
Ensuring that the chassis remains stable and copes with the dynamic
forces involved during operation.
To minimize weight and to optimize the space frame to accommodate the
necessary components that constitutes the other systems.
The driver position was selected as semi-reclining to strike a balance
between good visibility and an aerodynamic shape. The weight
distribution in the chassis had to be managed so that, after mounting the
engine components, the drive train, the engine accessories and the safety
equipment, the weight balance is acceptable.
To achieve the above goal we made use of two different cross sections of
tubing, circular cross-section tubing in reinforcing members and the roll
cage and rectangular cross-section tubing in the load bearing members.
This greatly improved not only the weight distribution but even the rigidity
of the chassis.
The chassis was designed based on the previous design was optimised for weight
reduction.the chassis now weighs 3 kgs lesser than the previous design.

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Dept of Mechanical Engineering

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The application of load on the chassis.

The drivers weight and engines weight are the major weight considerations.

The ladder frame provides more rigidity and provides a more stiffer platform for the
application of loads.
Now the frame is being analysed for stress:

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Dept of Mechanical Engineering

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According to the rules the roll hoop must be able to withstand 70kgf of load.

The roll hoop is required to protect the car during an accident when the
car overturns. Here the roll hoop is analysed to withstand 70kgf.the roll
hoop consist of 1 circular section profile over a path to protect the
driver.

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12. The Steering System:

This section will deal with the selection, design, and fabrication of the
steering system to be implemented in our ecomarathon vehicle, keeping
in mind the various constraints imposed by the competition rules as well
as the economics of our project.
12.1 Classification of Steering Methods:
The very first decision to be made was whether to select a front wheel
steering or a real wheel system. Since our vehicle would have only three
wheels, two in the front and one at the rear (the rear wheel being the
drive wheel), it was possible to incorporate either front wheel or rear
wheel steering.
Front Wheel Steering:
One of the benefits of using this method of steering is that it provides a
staple steering system. In a three wheeled vehicle with a single rear wheel
such as our Supermileage vehicle it is also advantageous in the respect
that only the single rear wheel is effected by frictional scrub.
This system ensures better road grip and reduced tire wear. There are
some disadvantages of the front wheel steering system as well. Having
room in the front of the vehicle for the two wheels to swivel requires a
larger frontal area, which corresponds to larger aerodynamic drag.
Rear Wheel Steering:
A major benefit is the simplistic design when only one wheel turns. With
the two front wheels stationary they can be brought in closer to the
drivers legs to decrease the frontal area and corresponding aerodynamic
drag. A major disadvantage of steering the rear wheel is that two wheels
become stationary and suffer from scrub losses.
After a comparative study of the two methods, it was decided to
incorporate a front wheel steering. The front wheel system would be
easier to control for the driver. Hence it was decided to design and
fabricate a front wheel steering system for our vehicle.
We decided to go with the simple go kart geometry of steering.

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steering column

tie rod

to chassis

12.2. Working of Ackermann Steering:

In the above sketch, PC and QD represents the stub axles of each wheel.
PA and QB represent the steering/pitman arms, and AB the track rod. The
angle represnts the Ackermann angle.
Also it may be noted that the dotted lines intersect at a point between the
front and rear axles approximately 0.3L in front of the rear axle, where L
is the wheel base.
Hence our first step will be calculation of the Ackermann angle .
Ackermann Angle ():
The very first data required for this calculation is the wheel base and
wheel track.
the wheel base was determined taking into account the drivers
measurements in the seated position, space for the engine and gearbox,
as well as mounting of the rear wheel. After numerous iterations a wheel
base of 1700 mm was obtained.
the wheel track was determined once
again keeping in mind the drivers
overall width and adequate space for the
steering system. However the main
criteria was tolerance between the shell
and the wheel in its fully turned position.
Taking all this into account we arrived at
a wheel track of 600mm from centre to
centre of each kingpin.
Next a triangle was constructed from the
above sketch of the system. This is
shown below.
In the figure alongside,
Wheel track PQ = 600 mm
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Wheel base L = 1700 mm

Hence DE = 600/2 = 300 mm
CD = L -0.3L = 1190 mm
Hence tan = 300/1190
Or Ackermann angle = 14.14 15 degrees
ackerm
anangle
tierod

Turning Radius:

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minimumturning angle right wheel

to chassis

minimumturningangle left wheel

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50

Outer radius =120.81 cm

Inner radius=56.07 cm

12.3. Kingpin Inclination (Steering Axis Inclination):

The inclination (usually an inward tilt) of the kingpin from the vertical is
called the kingpin inclination, or kingpin rake. The kingpin is the main
pivot in the steering mechanism. It is also a load bearing structure since
all loads acting on the vehicle are taken up by the kingpin thereby
preventing any stress on the steering system.
The kingpin inclination helps in steering return ability, i.e. straight ahead
recovery, thus providing directional stability.
R V College of Engineering
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front view

tie rod

wheel

to chassis

tochassis

topview

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Dept of Mechanical Engineering

back view

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12.4. Camber Angle:

Camber is the tilt of the wheels from the vertical. Camber is positive if the
wheels tilt outward at the top. Camber is also called wheel rake.

It is always desirable that the tires should roll on the

ground vertically so that the wear is uniform. If while running, the wheels
are inclined either outwards or inwards, there will be more wear on one
side than the other. Hence it is ideal to maintain a zero camber.
In order to do this the wheels are initially given a slight positive camber, in
the unloaded condition. Thus when the driver sits inside the vehicle, or
when the vehicle is loaded, the positive cambered wheels will now achieve
zero camber.
For an overall weight of 100 kgs(driver and components),the deflection
produced was very minute. Therefore small positive camber of 5
degrees.

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12.5.Fabrication:
Aluminum sections will be used to build the steering sections.
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Circular sections of 1 inch diameter and 2mm thickness will be

fabricated to make the steering system for our vehicle.
Tie rods will be 25 cm in length.
Bearings will be used at each joint to reduce friction between the
moving parts.

13. SHELL:
The shell design and fabrication represents one of the most complex and
challenging aspects of our project.
13.1. Shell Design Considerations:
1) The shell geometry should have as low a drag co-efficient as possible,
thereby
Reducing air resistance and improving mileage.
2) The Aero design must produce as low negative lift (down force) as
possible.
3) The shell should be light weight.
4) It should be possible to mount the shell to the chassis.
5) Parts of the shell should be readily detachable to facilitate driver exit as
well as
Servicing of vehicle components.
6) The shell surface should be as smooth as possible, so as to reduce
friction drag.
7) The finalized shape should be easy to fabricate.
The drag force experienced by the shell can be divided into two
components, namely form drag and the frictional drag. Our goal is to
determine the optimal shell design to reduce both components.
The basic design factors that reduce the form drag are:
1) Reducing the frontal area of shell
2) Contouring of shell to provide optimal streamlining
3) Prevention of separation of flow, both through optimal contouring and
using special
Techniques for boundary layer control
The friction drag is influenced by the surface roughness of the body, as
well as the surface area (particularly over which un-separated flow
occurs).
Further, to reduce the negative lift experienced by the shell, we need to
reduce the upsweep at the rear of the shell as far as possible, preventing
the formation of a large low pressure region at the rear underside of the
shell that would reduce down force at the rear.
In order to design a contour that was relatively simple to analyze and
fabricate, we needed to settle upon a basic curve/function to define the
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Dept of Mechanical Engineering

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various contouring of our shell. In order to do so, we made many designs

in Pro-E and then short listed a few based on the simplicity of design and
aerodynamic profiles.
This results in a shape similar to a symmetric airfoil, when viewed from
the top.
13.2. Positioning of Vents:
Another important consideration in our shell design is the positioning of
air-vents for the intake of air for combustion and cooling of the engine. We
hence located our air vents at the front of the shell, near the nose. The
reason for this is that the stagnation points of flow are located in this area,
contributing the maximum to form drag and generating a high positive
pressure gradient. Hence, by placing our vents here, our vehicle literally
funnels the air into the engine as it moves forward. The air is carried to
the engine at the rear via tubing. The drawback of this system is the high
engine pump work when the vehicle is stationary; however this will rarely
be the case during our performance run, and so will not hurt our mileage
score in the competition.
13.3. Provision to cover the wheels:
If the shell is to cover the wheels, sufficient room must be left for the front
wheels to turn during steering. While the vehicle is in motion, there is
continuous movement of air around it. If the wheels are not covered, the
air, by deviating from its laminar flow, moves across the spokes of the
wheel thereby obstructing its proper motion. This is similar to the egg
beater effect where this kind of movement of air causes resistance to the
rotation of the wheels and hence resists the vehicle movement. To prevent
such inefficiency, we decided to keep the wheels covered inside the shell,
keeping in mind the provision for the turning of the wheels while steering.
13.4. Shell Material and Fabrication:
The main factors that decided the selection the selection of the shell
material were
Lightweight and robustness.
The ease with which it can be fabricated (flexibility).
Availability of the material locally.
Cost of the material.
13.5. Shell Material:
The shell will be made using Glass fibre and Polyvinyl Ester as this material is very light .

13.6 .Shell Models:

From paper to CAD:

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Dept of Mechanical Engineering

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This image shows the vehicle configuration with two wheels in the front
and one wheel at the rear.

14. Wheels and Brakes:

The requirements for our wheels and tires are as follows:
1. Sufficient Mechanical Strength, especially considering cornering forces.
2. Light weight.
3. Low air-resistance, especially for the front wheels, as they are exposed
to the air stream
4. Low rolling resistance.
Wheel and tire dimensions:
The dimensions of our wheels settled upon are as follows:
Front Wheels: 17 inch, locally available wheels, as smaller sized wheels
improve handling, and cornering stability. In addition to this, small tires
also provide less air resistance. Smaller the tires, lower is the car and
hence better are its aerodynamics. However a smaller tire requires more
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number of rotations to cover the same linear distance as that of a bigger

wheel. Hence, optimization is required. The 17 tires will be used for road
testing purposes.
Rear Wheels: A 20 inch wheel, with a racing slick tire is used in the rear
as large size wheels at the rear improve traction, and also provide better
grip at the rear during braking. Further, lesser rotation of a bigger wheel
covers a larger linear distance as compared to a smaller wheel.
Based on these criteria, we will be purchasing our wheels and tires from
Schwalbe North America, as they have the correct tire specs and tire
dimensions to suit our purpose.
Wheel Selected: Stelvio HS 350, Folding Bead tires.

14.1. The Hub:

Dimensions:
The hub will have a diameter of 25mm
The spoke housing will have a diameter of 35mm
The distance between them will be 1mm on either side
The length of the hub will be 100mm
The total length of the whole the assembly with the spoke mounting
is 120mm
Material used:
The material for the hub will be aluminium as it is light and is more
rigid.
The material of the spokes is stainless steel as it has to bear the
total load and effectively transfer it to the tyres through the rims.

14.2. Brakes:
In order to select an appropriate braking system for our vehicle, we had to
consider various brakes on the market that could easily be fitted onto our
wheels. Further, the brakes needed to be as light as possible. They should
also be compact as the wheels are covered.
The logical choice was to go in for three disc brakes, one on each wheel,
as they provide sufficient braking force, while satisfying the above
mentioned requirements.
Configuration of brakes: We are using three sets of the aforementioned
disc brakes, with one set for each wheel. The brakes are readily
adjustable, allowing us to set an optimal brake balance. The discs will be
mounted (coupled) on the hub shaft of the wheels and the calipers that
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will hold the disc and thereby stop the wheel from moving will be mounted
onto the chassis.
Braking force: We estimate a braking force of approximately 0.7g. Our
method of calculating this is as follows (for locking of wheels):
Nr = mg (0.47 h/l), Nf = mg (0.53 + h/l).. Normal forces at front and
rear respectively
F = (Nr + Nf) Total Breaking Force
Our tires on dry asphalt have = 0.7 approx.
h = 6 (height of centre of gravity), l = 78 (wheel base)
m = 100 kg, fully loaded.
Hence, Nr = 41.61 kgf at the rear wheel and Nf = 59 kgf at the front
wheels, combined.
Therefore, F = 71 kgf.
Estimated Stopping distance from a speed of 10m/s (36 kmph) = 7.28 m.
Estimated Stopping distance from a speed of 4.44 m/s (10 mph) = 1.438
m.

15. Auto Electricals:

The Eco-Marathon car has certain electrical components like starter
motor, rear light, engine kill switch etc. This circuit diagram shows the
flow of current from the battery to various components.

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Dept of Mechanical Engineering

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16. SAFETY EQUIPMENT:

In a vehicle, it is very important to ensure driver safety. The following
measures have been taken:
The chassis of the car has been designed to withstand high impact forces
in case of the vehicle tipping over. The roll cage has been designed to
prevent the drivers head from coming in direct contact with the ground in
case the vehicle topples while at considerably high speeds.Shatterproof
materials have been used throughout the body of the vehicle, thus
ensuring no harm to the driver from small flying fragments.
A 3 point safety harness system is used to hold the driver tightly in his
seat. This ensures that in case of impact, the driver stays within the
confines of the roll cage.
Three kill switches, one inside and two outside the car; ensure fuel cut-off
to the engine so as to prevent it from catching fire. Driver wears a helmet
and riding glasses for extended safety. A fire extinguisher is also installed
within the reach of the driver.
A fire wall made of a thick aluminum plate is placed such that it separates
the driver from the engine. This prevents overheating of the driver cabin.
All the rules, as specified by Shell for the Eco-Marathon competition, have
been taken care of.

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Dept of Mechanical Engineering

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