DURHAM UNIVERSITY SOLAR CAR DUSC

Durham University Solar Car, DUSC, is a solar powered car being developed to compete in the World Solar Challenge, a race held biennially in Australia, by a team within the School of Engineering at Durham University.

Durham University solar powered racing car DUSC

Durham University Solar Car - DUSC

The car was first built in 2004, but is now undergoing further development in order to improve its performance.

Durham University is undertaking the development of a high-performance solar powered car. The vehicle toured the UK in the summer of 2004, visiting secondary schools to promote science and engineering. It is also planned to compete in the World Solar Challenge, a biennial race across Australia for solar powered vehicles.

The project is an excellent match for Durham’s School of Engineering because it makes use of the School’s expertise across the engineering disciplines. The department has particular expertise in the fields of solar technology, racing car aerodynamics, aircraft structures, direct drive electrical machines and electric/hybrid vehicles. The project has proved extremely popular with students. Undergraduate design teams have developed a number of concept vehicle designs and final year research projects have considered key aspects in detail.

The development of DUSC is now being accelerated by a group of people, headed by undergraduate students, to ensure it is able to race in the 2007 World Solar Challenge.

Durham University solar powered car chassis computer stress modelling

Computer stress modeling of the DUSC chassis

THE TEAM

The people currently working on the project are as follows.

Project Manager

Richard Flint

Mechanical Engineering

Michael Garland >> Mechanical Engineering Manager
Ben Derrick >> Bodywork Development Leader
Andrew Malpas
Richard Bywater
Costas Yannoulis
Stuart Barlow

Electrical & Electronic Engineering

Chris Brooking >> Electrical & Electronic Engineering Manager
Andrew Thurman >> Motor Development Leader
Mike Lee
Sam Carlisle

Publicity & Recruitment

This function is carried out by people working on the engineering of the vehicle.

Technical Advice & Support

School of Engineering, Durham University

Dr. David Sims-Williams >> Aerodynamics and Mechanics
Dr. Li Ran >> Electrical Drive System and Power Electronics
Mr. Peter Baxendale >> Electronic Instrumentation and Control
Dr. Jim Bumby >> Electrical Drive System

Durham University solar car wheel motor development

Durham University solar car wheel motor development

SPONSORSHIP

If you are or your company is interested in sponsoring DUSC, see the contacts below. They would be more than happy to talk to you and an information pack is available.

DUSC also operate a "Friends of DUSC" scheme to acknowledge supporters who make a
donation of any amount. Just complete the application form, enclosing your cheque, and post it to them.

CURRENT SPONSORS

DUSC is grateful for the support of the following organisations.

Gurit

Gurit offers an unrivalled range of composite solutions, technologies and products specifically tailored to customers' needs.

Gurit develops and produces high-end composite materials that offer unparalleled features in terms of weight, stability, stiffness and design properties that make them the materials of choice - for today and the future.

C&D Technologies

C&D Technologies is a technology company that produces and markets systems for the power conversion and storage of electrical power, including industrial batteries and electronics. This specialized focus has established the company as a leading and valued supplier of products in three major categories - reserve power systems, electronic power supplies and material handling systems. C&D's success in these key markets has been supported by dedication to customer service. Approximately 70 percent of the company's current sales are reserve power systems supplied to leading operators of telecommunications, data transmission, infrastructure computer systems and utilities to enable them to maintain critical operations during power outages.

Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council

EPSRC is the main UK government agency for funding research and training in engineering and the physical sciences, investing around £500 million a year in a broad range of subjects – from mathematics to materials science, and from information technology to structural engineering.

It operates to meet the needs of industry and society by working in partnership with universities to invest in people and scientific discovery and innovation. The knowledge and expertise gained maintains a technological leading edge, builds a strong economy and improves people's quality of life.

MEDIA ARTICLES

Light Speed Ahead

From: Doncaster Free Press
Date: Thursday 10th May 2007

Ray of hope in solar challenge

From: The Journal
Date: Thursday 3rd May 2007

Students' solar car race hopes

From: Evening Chronicle
Date: Monday 30th April 2007

Harnessing the sun in 1,800-mile race across Australia

From: The Northern Echo
Date: Saturday 28th April 2007

How 2

From: ITV1 and SMG TV
Date: Friday 25th August 2006

Durham University solar powered racing car DUSC 2004

Durham University solar powered racing car DUSC 2004

CONTACTS

Richard Flint, Project Manager
Durham University Solar Car
Durham University
School of Engineering
South Road, Durham
County Durham, DH1 3LE

E-Mail: dusc@durham.ac.uk

Web: www.dur.ac.uk/dusc

Durham University logo

DURHAM UNIVERSITY

Durham University was founded in 1832, and developed in Durham and Newcastle until 1963, when the independent University of Newcastle upon Tyne came into being. The University is collegiate and is located in the city of Durham and the nearby town of Stockton-on-Tees. The colleges are not teaching bodies, nor are they purely residential - typically they provide a centre for students' sporting, social and residential activities.

The University's Queen's Campus, Stockton opened in 1992. Over 2,000 full-time students are now studying in purpose-built accommodation 23 miles south of Durham, on the banks of the river Tees.

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

The School of Engineering at Durham University is one of only a few in the country which offers a General Engineering course. This provides undergraduates with a broad background in all engineering disciplines during the first two years, followed by one (BEng) or two years (MEng) of specialisation in a chosen field.

The degree course is accredited by the main engineering institutions, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, the Institution of Electrical Engineers, the Institution of Civil Engineers and the Institution of Structural Engineers. Each specialist stream is accredited by the relevant institution.

LINKS and REFERENCE

ORGANISATION A-Z	CAR'S NAME	TEAM NAME
Aristotle Uni of Thessaloniki, Helios	Helios	Faculty of Engineering
Arizona Solar Racing Team - USA		Arizona Solar Racing Team
Auburn University	Sol of Auburn	Sol of Auburn
Aurora Team, Australia	Aurora	Aurora Vehicle Association
Bochum Solar Car Team		Das SolarCar der Fachhochschule
California Poly S University	SLO Burn Sidewinder	San Luis Obispo
Cambridge University		Eco Racing Team
Clarkson Uni Solar Car Team, USA		The Solar Knights
Delft University - Holland	NUNA I & `II 2003`
Dell Winston School	The Hunter	Solar Car Challenge
Desert Rose, Northern Territory Uni	`FUJI DESERT ROSE`
Drexel SunDragon Home Page
École de technologie supérieure Quebec	Eclipse V (5)	Éclipse Vehicular Solaire
École Polytechnique de Montréal	Esteban
Eko-Auto Poland	Eko-Auto
Electron Analytic Corporation	Dark Horse	EAC Skunkworks
George Washington University		George Washington Uni Solar Car
Georgia Institute of Technology	Solar Jackets	Solar Jackets
Heliodet, Germany	Heliodet	Heliodet, Solar Car Team
Helios - Lille, France	Hélios IV	Hautes Etudes d'Ingénieur
Honda Car Company	`Honda`
Illinois State University	Surya, Ratha, Mercury	Illinois State University Team
Iowa State University	Fusion	Team PrISUm
Jonasun Japan	Orbit	Solar Car Paviion
Kansas State University	Paragon	Solar Car Racing Team
Los Altos Academy of Engineering		Los Altos Solar Car Team
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	Tesseract	MIT
McGill University Monteal, Canada	iSun	Team iSun
McMaster University	Phoenix	McMaster Uni Solar Car Project
Messiah College Grantham, Penns	Genesis II	Genesis II Solar Racing Team
Michigan State University		Solar Racing Team
Michigan Technological University		Solar Car Team
Minnesota S Uni-Mankato/Winona S Uni		Minnesota Solar Car Team
North Dakota State University	The Double Deuce	Sunsetters - Solar Race Team
Northwestern University	N'Uvation	Northwestern University
Nuon Solar Team, Netherlands	Nuon 3	Het Nuon Solar Team
Osaka Sangyo University, Japan	OSU model S	Solar Car Team
Prairie View A&M University	Solaris	Sun Panthers
Principia College	RA 6	Principia College Solar Car Team
Purdue University	SPOT 2	Purdue University Solar Racing
Queen's University Canada	Radiance `Gemini`	Queen's Solar Vehicle Team
Red River College	Red River Raycer	Red River College Solar Car Team
Rice University		Rice University
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology		Rose-Hulman Solar Car Team
Southern Illinois Uni Edwardsville	Cougar Cruiser	Southern Illinois University
South Bank University, UK	`Mad Dog`	South Bank Mad Dog Team
South Dakota School Mines & Tech	Solar Motion	South Dakota Solar Motion Team
Southern Taiwan University Tech		Southern Taiwan Solar Team
Stanford University	Solstice	Stanford Solar Car Project
Tamagawa University - Japan		Tamagawa Solar Challenge Project
Team Futura, Italy	FUTURA 2	Team Futura
Team SunLake - Japan	Phaethon model	Team SunLake TOYOBO
Texas A&M University	Columbia `Sunraycer`	Texas A&M Motorsports Team
The Power of One - Toronto	Xof1	The Xof1 solar car team
Tufts University	ANNE E. B. II	Nerd Girls
University of Alberta		University of Alberta Team
University of Arizona	Drifter	Solar Racing Team
University of Calgary		UC Calgary Solar Car Team
University of California-Berkeley	CalSol	California Calsol Team
University of Kansas	Solution, CATalyst	KSU Solar Car Racing Team
University of Kentucky	Gato del Sol II	Solar Car Team
University of Massachusetts	Spirit of Mass 413	Lowell Solar Racing Team
University of Michigan	Momentum	University of Michigan
University of Minnesota	Borealis III	U of M Solar Vehicle Project
University of Missouri - Columbia	Suntiger VI	The Mizzou Solar Car Project
University of Missouri - Rolla	Solar Miner V	Solar Minor Car Team
University of North Dakota	Subzero 3	Team SubZero
University of Ontario Institute of Tech		UOI Solar Vehicle Team
Uni of New South Wales SCR Team	UNSW Sunswift III	New South Wales SCR Team
University of Patras, Hermes		Solar Car Team
University of Pennsylvania	Keystone	Penn Solar Racing
University of Queensland	Sunshark	Queensland Solar Team
University of South Australia	Ned KELLY	SA Solar Car Consortium
University of Texas at Austin	Solar Steer	Solar Vehicles Team
University of Texas at El Paso		Solraycers
University of Toronto	Blue Sky	Blue Sky Solar Racing
University of Toulouse	Heliotrope	Heliotrope Solar Car Team
University of Utah		Vehicle Design Team Utah
University of Virginia		UVa Solar Car Team
University of Waterloo	Midnight Sun VIII	Midnight Sun Solar Race Team
University of Western Ontario	Sunstang	Sunstang USP Solar Car Team
USP Solar Car Team		USP Solar Car Team
Western Michigan University	Sunseeker 05	W Michigan Solar Car Team
Yale University	The John Lee	`Team Lux`

IF YOUR TEAM OR EVENT IS NOT LISTED HERE, PLEASE CONTACT US.

SOLAR CAR EVENTS

American Solar Challenge

American Tour de Sol

American World Solar Challenge - Formula Sun

Australian World Solar Challenge

Canadian Solar Discovery Challenge

Dream Cup Solar Car Race Suzuka 2003 - Japan

Japanese World Solar Car Rallye

North American Solar Challenge

Phaethon 2004

Solar Express - Solar Bike Race

Sunrayce

SunRace 2003 - Australia

World Solar Car Rally - Japan

World Solar Rallye - Japan

THINKING OF BUILDING YOUR OWN SOLAR CAR? CHECK OUT THE PAGES BELOW AS THEY COME ONLINE........

1. Chassis - and seating

2. Mechanics - suspension, steering, brakes

3. Motor and drive train

4. Motor controller

5. Solar Array - usually part of body

6. Batteries or fuel cells

7. Electrical System - and instruments

8. Driver Controls - switches, lighting, etc

9. Bodywork - Screen, etc

SOLAR CAR PART FINDER

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