Engine Test Cell
The primary use of the Engine Test Cell is for load testing of gasoline and electric motors. It is primarily used by the competition teams such as the Formula SAE Racing Team, Hot Wheelz, Clean Snowmobile and Mini Baja, but has also been used for several Multidisciplinary Senior Design projects. A DC motor dynamometer is used to measure engine performance when different parameters of the engine are varied. A combination of commercial off-the-shelf and custom hardware and software are used to control and monitor performance.
Major equipment: Siemens 120-HP DC Motor Dynamometer, Dyne-Loc control system, National Instruments SCXI-based data acquisition equipment, high-volume ventilation and cooling systems, benchtop working space.