BUCKEYE BULLET 2 - HYDROGEN FUEL CELL

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Ohio State University has a proud tradition of fielding electric land speed record cars that consistently raise the world record on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.

The student run team is based out of the well funded Center for Automotive Research. They started in the Buckeye Bullet 1 in 2003-4. Progressing to the hydrogen fuel cell car and then another battery car in 2010. 

The Buckeye Bullet 2, designed and built by engineering students at Ohio State University, set a land-speed record for hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered vehicles at the Bonneville Salt Flats in September 2009. It hit 302.877 mph in the flying mile and 303.025 mph in the flying kilometer, though these are unofficial records until recognized by the FIA.

20 SEPT 2009

This week, a group of engineering students set a land speed record for a vehicle powered by hydrogen fuels cells. The car that was able to break 300 mph is the Buckeye Bullet 2.

The speed test took place at the Bonneville Speedway at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. This is a location often used to test land speeds. This car is the first hydrogen powered fuel cell vehicle to break the 300 mph mark. (Note: The streamliner that Jesse James used to make land speed history did not go the entire distance of the Flying Kilometer event. And it didn't break 200 mph.) In order to receive a certification of a record, a vehicle must sustain speeds for more than a mile, two times within an hour. The Buckeye Bullet 2 managed this feat.

Ohio State University is no stranger to setting land speed records with alternative energy vehicles. OSU's original Buckeye Bullet set the record as the first electric vehicle to go 300 mph. Of course, there is a difference between building a car for speed, and building one that provides sustained speed and power over a longer distance. The good news, though, is that commuter cars don't need to go 300 mph. The fact that it is possible could lead to more interest in all-electric and hydrogen-fueled vehicles in the future.

The Buckeye Bullet 2, designed and built by engineering students at Ohio State University, recently set a land-speed record for hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered vehicles at the Bonneville Salt Flats. It hit 302.877 mph in the flying mile and 303.025 mph in the flying kilometer, though these are unofficial records until recognized by the FIA.

The car is powered by two fuel cells fed from onboard tanks of oxygen and hydrogen. Heat from the cells is dissipated using an ice bath. A radiator on a vehicle going 300 mph would have caused too much drag.

Electricity from the cells feeds into a controller that converts dc power to three-phase ac. The resulting waveform goes to run a custom-built 700-hp induction motor. A six-speed customized transmission sends power to the machined, solid-aluminum wheels equipped with high-speed Bonneville racing tires.

The body is constructed of honeycombed Nomex panels for stiffness, strength, and light weight. The panels, in turn, were made using CNC-machined molds for accuracy. Several of the panels are outfitted with quick-release hardware, letting team members quickly maintain and troubleshoot the streamlined vehicle.

For safety, the driver sits in a prepreg carbon-fiber/aluminum honeycomb composite tub. It adds a layer of strong and stiff crash protection around the driver and protects him from sharp edges. The tub contains a molded-in beaded seat and strengthened hard points to connect the driver’s restraint system.

For troubleshooting and documentation, the Bullet has a double-layer CAN communication system and uses state-of-the-art Bosch Motorsport data acquisition. Wireless telemetry and onboard diagnostics give the driver and crew real time updates on vehicle performance. In all, there are over 50 data channels.

The OSU Buckeye Bullet raised the record for the fastest EV in the US to 257 mph at Bonneville Salt Flats in October 2003, besting the old record of 251 mph held by White Lightning. The 31 feet long streamliner is powered by a 400 - 500 hp electric motor and 12,000 nickel-metal hydride batteries!  The car is the product of a collaboration between students of the Ohio State University's Center for Automotive Research-Intelligent Transportation, its faculty and private industry.

Buckeye Bullet 2 tops 300 mph - Youtube

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LINKS & REFERENCE

www.machinedesign.com/automotive/buckeye-bullet-sets-land-speed-record-for-hydrogen-fuelcell-powered-vehicles

https://phys.org/news/2009-09-mph-hydrogen-powered-vehicle.html

Bonneville Salt Flats - Google Maps

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