Standing
Graduate (Masters)
Type of Proposal
Visual Presentation (Poster, Installation, Demonstration)
Faculty
Faculty of Engineering
Faculty Sponsor
Dr. Narayan Kar
Proposal
The development of electric vehicles (EVs) is a technological advancement that builds upon the momentous milestones achieved in the personal transportation industry throughout the last century. The vehicles of this era have been driven through the power of internal combustion engines (ICE). In the most recent decades the drawbacks of running fossil fuel based vehicles has become quite apparent. The effect of emissions on both the environment and public health has become a major cause of concern for policy makers and the general population. Additionally, fossil fuel commodities have been utilized as a political and economic weapon, giving producers extreme amounts of power and hurting consumers who have been at the mercy of large market fluctuations [1]. These challenges have provided the perfect conditions for the rise of electrical vehicles as an alternative method of transportation. Although electric vehicles have many benefits including being quieter, requiring less maintenance, and providing better handling than traditional vehicles, several engineering challenges remain before mass adoption will occur. A significant area of concern where further optimizations can be made is in the life expectancy of the electric motors that propel electric vehicles. At the University of Windsor’s Centre for Hybrid Automotive Research and Green Energy (CHARGE) laboratory methods of improving electric traction motors are already under investigation. Industrial collaborations including a venture with Ford Motor Company have provided significant opportunities for testing electric motors and their life expectancy. The approach undertaken involves data acquisition from electric motor tests. Several key factors identified as having significant impact on motor life expectancy will be studied. Preliminary results show that factors such as extreme temperatures, high humidity, voltage disturbances, insulation weakness, and large vibrations all have very negative effects on motor life expectancy. By displaying work done to minimize the effects of these factors, conference attendees will learn how electric motor testing done by local researchers in collaboration with industry partners is improving upon electric motor life expectancy, overall electric vehicle performance, and thus in turn society, which receives the environmental and health benefits that come with electric vehicle adoption.
Grand Challenges
Sustainable Industry
“Life Expectancy Analysis and Optimization of Electric Vehicle Traction Motors”
The development of electric vehicles (EVs) is a technological advancement that builds upon the momentous milestones achieved in the personal transportation industry throughout the last century. The vehicles of this era have been driven through the power of internal combustion engines (ICE). In the most recent decades the drawbacks of running fossil fuel based vehicles has become quite apparent. The effect of emissions on both the environment and public health has become a major cause of concern for policy makers and the general population. Additionally, fossil fuel commodities have been utilized as a political and economic weapon, giving producers extreme amounts of power and hurting consumers who have been at the mercy of large market fluctuations [1]. These challenges have provided the perfect conditions for the rise of electrical vehicles as an alternative method of transportation. Although electric vehicles have many benefits including being quieter, requiring less maintenance, and providing better handling than traditional vehicles, several engineering challenges remain before mass adoption will occur. A significant area of concern where further optimizations can be made is in the life expectancy of the electric motors that propel electric vehicles. At the University of Windsor’s Centre for Hybrid Automotive Research and Green Energy (CHARGE) laboratory methods of improving electric traction motors are already under investigation. Industrial collaborations including a venture with Ford Motor Company have provided significant opportunities for testing electric motors and their life expectancy. The approach undertaken involves data acquisition from electric motor tests. Several key factors identified as having significant impact on motor life expectancy will be studied. Preliminary results show that factors such as extreme temperatures, high humidity, voltage disturbances, insulation weakness, and large vibrations all have very negative effects on motor life expectancy. By displaying work done to minimize the effects of these factors, conference attendees will learn how electric motor testing done by local researchers in collaboration with industry partners is improving upon electric motor life expectancy, overall electric vehicle performance, and thus in turn society, which receives the environmental and health benefits that come with electric vehicle adoption.