Project Description: Our client, Alberni Yachts, is a startup company based out of Port Alberni with the goal of making sustainable yachts a reality. Chris Baker, an ex-captain and founder of Alberni Yachts has tasked us with the design of the electrical power distribution and generation system for the Alberni 65; their debut, a 65 ft, fully electric sailing vessel. For analysis, the systems were split into the electrical energy system, which refers to all power sources, the electric motor (which also acts as a generator) and battery, along with all electrical loads apart from the propulsion motor, referred to as “non-propulsion electrical loads”. Power sources for the system include solar, wind, hydro regeneration and shore charging which sustain the 900kWh battery, allowing for up to a month of offshore use. Multiple design options for the system underwent thorough analysis, with the most optimal choice being justified through an array of simulations (AutoCAD, Excel, PSIM, etc..) and calculation methodologies which are presented.
Project HA-61: Electrification of Harbour Air Beaching Gear
Project Client: Harbour Air Aerospace Services
Project Description: In this project, we work with Harbour Air Aerospace Services, an organization that operates and repairs seaplanes. While moving seaplanes in an airfield, Harbour Air uses a vehicle called a “beaching gear”. Currently, all their beaching gear vehicles are gas powered, and Harbour Air is looking to electrify them. This will bring have several benefits for Harbour Air, including reducing carbon emissions, achieving operational cost savings, and becoming an industry leader in sustainable aviation practices.
Our first step on finding a solution is to work on a feasibility study where we compared two design options: retrofitting the existing beaching gear vehicle or purchasing a new beaching gear and modifying it. For both options, comparison criteria included their drive systems, power systems, control systems, auxiliary systems & hydraulic lift integration, and associated costs. As a result, our team determined that the option of retrofitting the existing beaching gear is the most viable.
Next is the design and verification phase, where we provide Harbour Air with a design recommendation. This includes items such as the sizing a battery pack, simulating mission profiles for the vehicle, motor selection, and creating block diagrams for various subsystems. The design is supported by tests and verification done through system simulations that use MATLAB Simulink. In the future, our project results provide Harbour Air a good design basis to build a real-life model for their electric beaching gear.
Project JM-64: Making Electric Vehicles Safer: Half-cell Characterization and Electrode Modeling in Lithium-ion Batteries
Project Client: Qnovo, Inc.
Project Description: The JM-64 Capstone team is revolutionizing electric vehicle (EV) safety with their pioneering project, “Making Electric Vehicles Safer: Half-cell Characterization and Electrode Modeling in Lithium-Ion Batteries.” Our objective is to refine lithium-ion battery models, enhancing battery management systems (BMS) for the EV industry. This not only improves energy extraction rates without sacrificing safety but also extends battery life. Amidst the booming EV market, with 14.2 million units sold in 2023, battery safety remains a paramount concern. Our collaboration with Qnovo aims to provide crucial data for crafting accurate circuit models, vital for preventing hazards like overheating and short circuits. By dissecting the unique behaviors of cathode and anode electrodes, we facilitate a deeper understanding of battery functionality, addressing challenges such as electrode contamination and material handling within controlled environments. Our methodology includes rigorous testing through Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy and cycle life studies, laying the groundwork for advanced BMS designs. This research is poised to bolster EV safety standards and sustainability.
Project PL-44: Intelligent Intersection Communication Hub
Project Client: Breeze Labs Inc.
Project Description: Our project is the Intelligent Traffic Communication Hub also known as ITCH! We connected the open source V2X Hub software with traffic simulation software, database and dashboard to show how V2X can reduce traffic congestion.
V2X is a system that lets vehicles communicate with things like infrastructure, pedestrians or other vehicles. Our client Breeze Labs asked us to find an innovative use case for V2X and create a connected system to demonstrate the system working.
Project Description: CarPals is a carpooling social media mobile app that connects people who share common interests. This allows vehicle drivers to make some extra money as carpool drivers, and passengers to get to a destination without the need for a vehicle, while also allowing CarPals users to make new friends and connections.
Our app follows specific design concepts created by CarPals’ UI designer. A technical challenge we resolved was translating our client’s vision into the app while ensuring the designs were faithful to the client’s needs and easy to use, encompassing an intuitive user interface. To do so, we utilized software tools that allowed us to integrate all the different components of our project and tested our app by performing external customer reviews and emulating real-life scenarios.