Land Speed Record Vehicle: CO2 Dragster Racing

Problem

The land speed record (or absolute land speed record) is the highest speed achieved by a person using a vehicle on land. The record is standardized as the speed over a course of fixed length, averaged over two runs (commonly called "passes"). Two runs are required in opposite directions within one hour, and a new record mark must exceed the previous one by at least one precent to be validated. the current holder of the Outright World Land Speed Record is Thrust SSC, a twin turbofan jet-powered car which achieved 763.035 mph - 1227.985 km/h - over one mile in October 1997. This was the first supersonic record as it broke the sound barrier at Mach 1.016. The future is to break 1,000 mph.

Design Challenge

As a member of an engineering design race team, you are to design and build a land speed record vehicle that will be entered into a race. The ultimate goal is to break the school record for the fastest land speed record car design over a track of fixed length. There are two different components to the CO2 Dragster Land Speed Racing Challenge: Speed and Design.

Criteria

• You may do research or collaborate with others to develop possible car design solutions, but you must have an original design that is your own creation.
• The car body must be one-piece, all-wood construction. Any type of lamination will result in disqualification. No add-ons such as body strengtheners, fenders, plastic canopy, exhausts, or airfoils may be attached to or enclosed within the vehicle. Fiberglass or shrink-wrap are considered body strengtheners and cannot be used on car body or wheels for any reason. Two (2) or more like or unlike pieces of wood glued together are not considered one-piece, all-wood construction.
• The CO2 cartridge power plant hole must be at the farthest point at the rear of the car and must be drilled parallel to the racing surface to assure proper puncture of the CO₂ cartridge. A minimum of 3mm thickness around the entire power plant hole must be maintained on the dragster for safety.
• A dragster must have four (4) wheels, no more. Two (2) wheels must meet rules W2 and W3. The other two must meet rules W4 and W5. All four wheels must touch the racing surface at the same time. All wheels must roll. Wheels must be made entirely from plastic. Dimensions must be consistent for the full circumference of the wheel.
• Dragsters must have two screw eyes per car that meet tolerances, no more. Screw eyes must not make contact with the racing surface. The track string must pass through both screw eyelets, which are located on the centerline of the bottom of the car. Glue may be used to reinforce the screws eyes. It is the responsibility of the car designer/engineer to see that the eye screw holes are tightly closed to prevent the track string from slipping out. As with all adjustments, this must be done prior to event check in.
• Each student must submit a design portfolio; along with their vehicle, that demonstrates the use of the Engineering Design Process in order to solve this design challenge.

Design Envelope

Scope of Work

1. Research: Aerodynamics, and identify variables you can control to create the least amount of drag coefficient in your car.
2. Research: Friction to identify the best ways to reduce surface and/or fluid friction.
3. Research: Mass to identify the best ways to reduce the weight of the overall car but maintain strength and durability.
4. Solutions: Generate three ideas or alternative solutions in the form of rough sketches; then choose the best solution based upon your research.
5. Development: Design, build, and test; collect data and determine problems; then redesign your car to meet the challenge to the best of your ability.
6. Communication: Produce a Design Portfolio that documents your steps of the design process and its operation, including research, sketches, data, notes, and evaluations.

LSRV Prototype

Competition Specifications

• The race lane is 2 feet wide and 65.5 feet long. The track will be located in the hallway.
• At race time, the vehicle will be placed behind the starting line with all its wheels in contact with the ground. An early start or push start will result in a DNF for that heat.
• All vehicles will be started when the official signal is given. At least one person must wait at the finish line to catch the vehicle. The time will be recorded after the vehicle crosses the finish line.
• Individuals may not accompany or touch the vehicle on the track during the race. Vehicles stalled on the track may be retrieved after the instructor has declared the end of the race.
• Violation of any of the above specifications constitutes immediate disqualification, as does any violation of the “spirit of the competition”.