Mangalore: Canara Engg Students Design Solar-powered Tribrid Two-wheeler

Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (VA)

Mangalore, Aug 18: Team Tribrid, a group of students from mechanical, electrical and electronics and electronics and communication branches of Canara Engineering College, Benjanapadavu here have developed innovative project, V – Spark 3, the solar powered tribrid two-wheeler.

Addressing presspersons on Wednesday August 18, the college authorities informed that V – Spark 3 will be inaugurated by district in-charge minister J Krishna Palemar at a function to be held to mark Rajiv Gandhi Akshay Urja Divas organized by Akshay Urja Club – CEC Center on Friday August 20. Dr U S Mohandas Nayak, president, CHS Association will preside. K M Udupa, retired deputy general manager, Syndicate Bank and managing trustee, Bharatiya Vikas Trust Ltd, Manipal and Dr K V Rao, director of Science Centre, Pilikula will be present, they informed.

(From L to R) Steve Sequeira, Roshna D’Souza, Royson D’Souza, Rakshith Kumar and Naveen Nazareth

Team leader Royson D’Souza and Rakshith Kumar, final year mechanical branch, Roshna D’Souza, final year E & E, Steve Sequeira, third year E & C and Naveen Nazareth, second year mechanical branch, team members comprise Team Tribrid. Tribids are hybrids (a hybrid vehicle is a one that uses two or more distinct power sources to move the vehicle) that obtain additional energy from the ambient environment (solar panel, windmill or sail).   

The basic highlights of the vehicle are that the vehicle runs on the fuel as well as electric charge. The energy consumed by the electric transmission is replenished by harnessing solar energy, thus providing the vehicle the privilege of utilizing three energy sources.

The unique feature of this vehicle is that it is designed based on the concept of parallel tribid system. It involves a single accelerator, speedometer for both mechanical and electrical transmission. At a certain point of time, in case if a mode of transmission fails to function properly, the other mode always acts as a back-up. 

Prof T N Shanbogue, head of the department, E & E, Prof U N Baipadithaya, head of the department, mechanical branch and Prof Ganesh Bhat, head of the department of E & C were present.