Project Progress Update

      Since last posting, groups have been organized and our small-scale solar team has finalized our proposal. We have decided with a partially solarized system within the 1/12th scale model. This would entitle a fully operational solar panels alongside external batteries to help fuel the track. In the small scale solar team, one of my responsibilities includes being a lead researcher. One of the research articles was on a "solar battery". This "solar battery" is a combination of a solar cell and a battery, allowing extra power to be stored all within one unit. The design enables light and oxygen to react to different chemicals allowing the battery to charge. This design could be feasible with more research down the road for energy storage.
      From last year's report, each bogie on the small scale model required around 3-4 amps to operate.  This year, our group’s goal is to increase the amount of bogies on the track. This method, however, would require more amps to run. Much of the smaller solar panels offered by Adafruit or Sparkfun supply less than 1 amp. Figure 1 shows a monocrystalline solar panel that outputs up to 930 mA. These solar panels could serve as a preliminary prototype for our group to practice with, but would require extra batteries to run.

Figure 1: 6V Monocrystalline Solar Panel from Adafruit.

      Another issue that I looked into was how to provide power to the bogies from the track. One of the articles I came across was "Light Rail Without Wires" by John Swanson. This article provides an in depth explanation and design of the "INNORAIL" system. The system provides electricity to the bogies via the track rather than using overhead power wires. Figure 2 shows an image taken from the article of the fundamental principle behind this unique system. A design like this could solve our power problem.

Figure 2: INNORAIL power system diagram.

References

[1] https://news.osu.edu/news/2014/10/03/batteries-included-a-solar-cell-that-stores-its-own-power/
[2] http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/circulars/ec058/15_02_Swanson.pdf