Abstract
As the ever-increasing concern of climate change continues, movement away from non-renewable resources for fuel is an important way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The “T” (official name redacted) is an autonomous, electrified train car developed by a small start up in St. Louis. We sought to brainstorm solutions for autonomously charging the T and choose one solution . We sought to produce a system-level design for use by the startup and a working small-scale model as proof-of-concept. After researching various existing charging technologies, we successfully designed, built, and controlled a charging station that autonomously positions itself in alignment with a charging port on a small mock “T” and plugs in the charging cable onboard the mobile station. Once the T reaches a full charge, the station retracts the cable and allows the T to proceed with its tasks without any human interaction necessary.
Authors:
Morgan Davies, B.S. Electrical Engineering
Christopher Hillerich, B.S. Electrical Engineering
Y.R., B.S. Electrical Engineering