Project

# Title Team Members TA Documents Sponsor
25 CUSTOM MPPTS FOR ILLINI SOLAR CAR
 Akhil Pothineni
Alex Chmiel
Alex Lymberopoulos
 Matthew Qi design_document1.pdf
design_document2.pdf
final_paper1.pdf
photo1.jpeg
photo2.jpg
photo3.jpg
presentation1.pdf
proposal2.pdf
proposal1.pdf
video
 Illini Solar Car
# CUSTOM MPPTS FOR ILLINI SOLAR CAR

Team Members:
- Alex Chmiel (achmiel4)
- Alex Lymberopoulos (alexdl2)
- Akhil Pothineni (akhilp3)

# Problem

Illini Solar Car is manufacturing their 3rd generation vehicle to race at the American Solar Challenge this coming summer. The team has recently installed their array and is looking for easy-to-use, configurable, and efficient solar MPPTs. The off-the-shelf models are very expensive and will take time to integrate into the vehicle’s architecture. Also with off-the-shelf components if a part fails, we will not have access to the schematics to replace the component.

# Solution

The idea is to create custom, efficient, and low cost MPPTs built for the team’s electrical system. For some background, the vehicle has the array wired in three separate sections. The goal behind the 3 sections is better resilience to shading and redundancy built into the system. We would make an easy to move enclosure with three MPPTs inside that can be mounted in the vehicle. If one of the MPPTs fails we would still have 2/3 of the solar array producing power.

By making the MPPTs in house lots of problems could be solved. We could drastically reduce the cost, make it plug-and-play with our vehicle’s electrical systems, and be able to debug issues quickly.

# Solution Components

## Subsystem 1: Logic Board

This board will be running a perturb and observe algorithm to vary switching signals sent to an off-board power board.
- LPC1549: Microcontroller used in all solar car projects. Has built in CAN controllers. Data will be sent over CAN.
- Voltage Sensors: To view the voltage and vary the algorithm. Most likely use SPI communication protocol.
- Current Sensors: To view the current and vary the algorithm. Most likely use SPI communication protocol.
- Temperature Sensors: Monitor Temperature of the MPPTs to verify safe operating points.
- Fans Control: Turn on the fan when temperatures get too hot.
## Subsystem 2: Power Board

The power board will be controlled by the logic board to take in the input power and vary the output power to charge the battery. Should handle power up to ~900W. MPPTs should be able to output in the range of 77V-120V. Max charge current is ~2.75A.
- Boost Converter Circuit: Will boost input voltage to charge battery safely. Takes input from logic board.

# Criterion For Success

- Logic Board is able to read temperature and vary fans

- Logic Board is able to send information via CAN

- Power Board successfully boost input voltage

- If faults are induced the logic board is able to stop charging of the batteries.

- Create one logic board that can control one power board to follow a perturb and observe algorithm.

Cypress Robot Kit

Todd Nguyen, Byung Joo Park, Alvin Wu

Cypress Robot Kit

Featured Project

Cypress is looking to develop a robotic kit with the purpose of interesting the maker community in the PSOC and its potential. We will be developing a shield that will attach to a PSoC board that will interface to our motors and sensors. To make the shield, we will design our own PCB that will mount on the PSoC directly. The end product will be a remote controlled rover-like robot (through bluetooth) with sensors to achieve line following and obstacle avoidance.

The modules that we will implement:

- Motor Control: H-bridge and PWM control

- Bluetooth Control: Serial communication with PSoC BLE Module, and phone application

- Line Following System: IR sensors

- Obstacle Avoidance System: Ultrasonic sensor

Cypress wishes to use as many off-the-shelf products as possible in order to achieve a “kit-able” design for hobbyists. Building the robot will be a plug-and-play experience so that users can focus on exploring the capabilities of the PSoC.

Our robot will offer three modes which can be toggled through the app: a line following mode, an obstacle-avoiding mode, and a manual-control mode. In the manual-control mode, one will be able to control the motors with the app. In autonomous modes, the robot will be controlled based off of the input from the sensors.