Viking 29

A Thermophotovoltaic Series Electric Hybrid

The Viking 29 is a ground-up two-seat electric sports car designed and built at the VRI. The battery charge is maintained by a Thermophotovoltaic (TPV or "Midnight Sun) generator. Funding for the TPV generator and the vehicle was from a US Department of Energy (DOE) grants in concert with an industry partner, JX Crystals of Issaquah, WA. Final installation and finishing was supported by the MURI Dept. of Defense grant. The 8 kW generator makes use of gallium antimonide photovoltaic cells surrounding a central emitter heated by a compressed natural gas flame to 1700 Kelvin. The infrared photons generated activate the photovoltaic cells to produce electricity. This generator is very clean and quiet. The electric motor is a Unique Mobility 75 kW (100 HP) motor which is 95% efficient through most of the operating regime. The motor is mounted end on to a single dry plate clutch assembly running in ball bearing in separate housing designed to remove all thrust loading from the electric motor. The clutch assemble is mounted end on to a transversely mounted, four speed wide ratio transaxle mounted between the rear wheels of the vehicle.

As further funding was not available to dev elope the TPV generator system, this form of power generation is not currently a viable source of power generation for vehicles.

Goal

To demonstrate thermophotovoltaic generation of power in a custom designed series hybrid vehicle

Sponsors

The US Department's of Energy and Defense, JX Crystals of Issaquah, WA and the Vehicle Research Institute at Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA

Vehicle Specifications

Thermophotovoltaic Generator:	The 6.5 kW generator makes use of gallium antimonide photovoltaic cells surrounding a central emiter heated by a compressed natural gas flame to 1700 Kelvin. The infrared photons generated activate the PV cells to produce electricity that maintains a charge in the battery. This generator is very clean and quiet.
Electric Motor:	Unique Mobility 53 kW motor which is 92% efficiency through most of the operating regime. The motor is mounted end on to a single dry plate clutch assembly running in ball bearings in a separate housing designed to remove all thrust loading from the electric motor. The clutch assembly is mounted end on to a transversely mounted, four speed, wide ratio transaxle mounted between the rear wheels of the vehicle.
Batteries:	Ten kW hours at 360 V of Saft NiCd batteries.
I.C. Engine:	Daihatsu, 993cc, 3 cylinder fuel injected single overhead cam, fueled by reformulated gasoline.
Electric Motor:	Two Unique Mobility brushless D.C. motors driving the front wheels through a gearbox.
Body/Chassis:	Composite materials in a vinyl-ester matrix. All of the air ducts have been made structural to provide increased chassis stiffness.
Range:	Currently untested at this time. It is expected to have a range as a series hybrid of approximately 200 miles.

Viking 29