Achilles Last Stand

WHAT HAPPENED

After making our first runs in the fuel economy trials, we learned that our DAS numbers on mpg-e were really good, and our car had no problems on the run. At least, none that we could see…

After our highway segment ended, George Voll was a little shaken about the effect of the last lap, since the race officials forgot to signal him with his team flag, wondering how that late call might have hurt his efficiency through the trace of the course. After getting the car back to impound, it was time to weigh our fuel, to see what the overall fuel consumption was for the course of the three separate segments of the fuel economy run: urban, city, and highway. When we learned how much fuel we used, we knew it was something bigger than a missed signal.

So on Friday, we were called in to meet with officials about our status. We couldn’t argue with the numbers that were produced, but we did make an argument about how the data were collected. And so we were instructed to include that in our protest, to have it filed and hope for an appeal to continue our entry in the competition.

But when we returned to our bay, a fellow competitor was

there to inquire about a certain part was on the engine. George took a look and yelled for the rest of us to see. We discovered that a cap had been removed from the turbo , nullifying its boost effect and inhibiting our water injection system from operating. Loosing boost is like running a 100 meter sprint breathing through a straw. Instead of using more air, it uses more fuel to do the same amount of work. Our friend from the other team added that he saw this a couple of days before—which would have meant he noticed it before we performed our economy run.

Yet our car still ran…

And our car was running as a normally

aspirated engine, with no help from turbo boost, or water injection. We ran our fuel economy test with none of our fuel economy technology operating. And because of our understanding of the rules, we weren’t allowed to perform any maintenance or routine inspections on the car, never looking under the hood after each leg to ensure things were intact.

It’s baffling to us how it might have happened. While we should have caught it before we ever left our bay, we may never know how the plug came off of that port. One of two things: engine pressure, or a sharp yank.

I was thinking that this plug was our "Achilles Heel."

Kevin Smith, of Illuminati Motor Works, also mentioned Achilles as we discussed the events in the garage after the events. Like the Led Zep song title, Achilles Last Stand, so it was for BITW Technologies. Just like the 1967 Indy 500 Turbine car, we were felled by a part that cost less than a dollar.

We packed the trailer, loaned by Doug Harkness, of Corydon Glass and Mirror, and said our goodbyes. George put a new plug on and with 180 lbs of extra weight, drove home. We fueled up at Coldwater, MI and drove 201 miles to Whiteland,IN, averaging 65 MPH. George put in 3 gallons to top off the ATL fuel bladder.

Did you do the math? We got 66 MPG at 65mph with the plug in place. What would we get at 50 mph? Point proven to ourselves, but that won't get us back into the competition.

We got this far on a stock car, and still achieved better MPG than cars being sold today. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel, yet some of our former competitors believe that is the only way to achieve real fuel efficiency. We’ll see how far they go before returning to time-tested conventions.

There are many unanswered questions we’ll continue to explore. What would our numbers actually be if our tech was connected? As of now, we may be out, but we’re not down. More to come.

BITW Technologies Team Member Profiles: George Voll

Helping the world, one customer at a time.



BITW Technologies Team Leader, George Voll, likes to solve problems—they give him something to do. It’s a good thing, considering the fact that Voll has been in the home improvement industry for most of his career, offering insights and solutions to customers of the hardware store he operates in Edwardsville, Indiana. Whether it’s electrical, plumbing, or a carburetor rebuild, Voll always knows what tools and equipment to use to get the job done. He even specializes in failure analysis of small engines, with his extensive experience and certification in the field. His customers are his public, and they know who to ask to find the right solution for their own problems.

Voll has been tinkering with engines of all shapes and sizes over the last three decades, both professionally, and as a personal hobby. Voll became friends with Assistant Team Leader, Dan Boyd, in high school, and the two were soon working on each other’s daily drivers, and each other’s project cars, which included special interests such as vintage Swedish automobiles and a ’64 Barracuda. Along the way, Voll learned a great deal about foreign and domestic automotive engineering while rebuilding engines, coming to understand what things worked, and what didn’t work. Voll has always been interested in diesel engines, and has been working with them in cars, trucks, tractors, and even lawn mowers. Long before the Vincitore’ project, Voll had already performed a bio-fuel conversion on a VW diesel using the waste oil discarded from local restaurants, something he has been doing for the last twenty years. (pictured, from left, Bob Voll and George Voll speak with Aide Larry Ordner about receiving the Lugar Energy Patriot Award from US Senator Richard Lugar)

Despite his passion for cars, Voll did not pursue an engineering education after successfully completing a few early level courses. Instead, he earned a degree in business from Indiana University, and later attended the USDA Graduate School taking classes in statistical analysis, specializing in economic forecasting before returning home to run the store where he worked full time while attending college in the evenings. Voll also studied Chinese language, a skill he and his wife share with their son and daughter.

Family life is most important to him these days, as he works hard to ensure the safety and well-being of his wife and children, and giving them plenty of their own challenges to help develop and enrich their minds. To this end, he also volunteers much of his time as a den leader in his son’s Cub Scout pack, and helping his kids with their math homework. (at right, Voll and son working on a Tiger Scout project)

With his involvement in the X Prize through the induction of his latest bio-diesel project, he wants to contribute to drivers around the globe, by developing solutions that harbor the powers of proven technologies, utilize time-tested support infrastructures, and can use sustainable fuel sources. Voll knows the tools that are out there and available, and believes he has found a great solution for families who are conscious about fuel consumption, efficiency, and, most importantly, highway safety.

SCIENCE!!

Science! hearing the word reminds me of a tune from the 80's by Thomas Dolby. So what does that have to do with today's post?

Over the weekend, the BITW Technologies Vincitore' 1000 made a visit to the St. Louis Science Center. Team leader, George Voll, and his dad Bob got to answer a lot of questions about the car and the Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize competition. The car was on display in the lower level with a few other alternative energy displays. The Allis Chalmers Model G Electric tractor was very interesting. The Model G was designed as a small crop/ garden tractor with a rear mounted engine to improve visibility for cultivating. The engine was removed and an electric motor put in it's place. The Saint Louis Science Center hosted a “Community Science Day,” on Saturday, May 29th, 2010. This free event featured hands-on activities for visitors to gain a greater understanding about the science and technology related to super-efficient vehicles. The event was sponsored by the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE Education Program and the U.S. Department of Energy. Visitors were able to come and check out the hands-on activities and walk away with the know-how required to make educated choices on the future cars you purchase and drive.

George and Bob found that many people do not understand how a diesel engine works or that they are much cleaner than they used to be. George and Bob were able to explain the difference between the Diesel Internal Combustion Engine vehicle and the Battery Electric Vehicle. It is always a good thing to educate people about how technologies can benefit society, locally and globally. We were honored to be asked to display the Vincitore' 1000 at the center. It is a great facility with a wonderful staff! St. Louis is a fun place to visit with historic value. It was the official starting point for the Lewis and Clark expedition, after they picked up most of the group from the Louisville area, taking a boat down the Ohio river to the Mississippi. After the event had concluded, George drove near the Arch for a camera pose.

For that Thomas Dolby tune, here is a link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V83JR2IoI8k&a=p8AVQFfiIRU&playnext_from=ML