14-02-2010, 11:36 PM
SOLAR CAR
Abstract
A solar car is a light weight, low power vehicle designed and built with a single purpose in mind - racing or "raycing", a combination of "race" and "ray" from the sun. It has limited seating (one or two people) and cargo capacity, can only be driven during the day and does not represent a practical means of transportation. It does, however, offer an excellent opportunity to develop future technologies that can be applied to practical applications.
The car operates by the collection and conversion of sunlight into electricity using solar cells mounted on the vehicle, which is then delivered to the car's batteries or motor. Generally, a car can operate on only 700-1500 watts of power, which is roughly the same amount of power used by a hair drier. With such small amounts of energy available, efficiency is crucial. Aerodynamic drag, weight, and rolling resistance all influence the car's design.
The objective of this seminar is to provide a general idea regarding the various components and working of the solar car.