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A group of Northeastern University engineering students recently won the top prize for using engineering principles to build an alternatively-fueled car.
A team of ten students competed in the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) 11th annual Chem-E-Car Competition and were awarded first place for designing a car powered with an alternative energy source. Matched up against thirty teams from colleges across the country, their car traveled and stopped within inches of the goal line and the team took home a $2,000 prize.
During the Chem-E-Car competition, each team had two chances to get their car closest to the 77-foot mark while transporting 250 milliliters of water. Adding to the challenge: these specifications were not given to the students until one hour prior to the competition.
Northeastern's car, which the team members worked on for nearly a year, was powered by a chemical reaction and utilized fuel cell technology " one of the cleanest sources of fuel. Using sodium hydroxide, aluminum foil and water, the team produced hydrogen on their car, which in turn, powered a fuel cell stack and moved the car.
The team also designed an electric circuit, which they attached to the motor, to control how far the car traveled. Using another chemical reaction and a technique called the iodine clock, the students were able to "program" the vehicle so that it would stop at a certain point, which it did a mere 6.75 inches from the finish line.
"These students met the challenge of designing a car that would both be powered and controlled by a chemical reaction," said Katherine Ziemer, the DiPietro associate professor of electrical engineering and the team's faculty advisor.
"This competition allowed us to use our skills and knowledge to solve a truly relevant worldwide issue " running a car on alternative fuels," said Patrick McMahon, the team's captain and a senior chemical engineering student. "While this car is small, it shows that this technology could possibly be a viable option for automobiles in the future."
The other students on the team were Matt DiNitto (class of 2012), Aaron Lamoureux (2012), Tim Lund (2010), Emma Chory (2012), Anthony Fusco (2012), Samantha Wallner (2012), Emily Nelson (2012), Michael Hess (2012) and Jason Crater (2010). The competition took place in Nashville, TN, during the Institutes' annual meeting.
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