MTSU Students Push Perry’s Gas-SavingProject to Next Level

Newswise — Powered by at least nine MTSU students’ quality work since 2008, Dr. Charles Perry continues driving toward success in the development of the plug-in hybrid retrofit kit for any car.

Perry, who holds the Russell Chair of Manufacturing Excellence, and a five-member team saw gas mileage increase anywhere from 50 to 100 percent on a 1994 Honda station wagon that has been retrofitted with laboratory prototype plug-in hybrid capability.

After achieving this milestone, Perry is having dialogue with several potential companies having fleets of vehicles to solicit funds to build and demonstrate a manufacturing version of the plug-in hybrid technology.

As a research vehicle, the Honda has been fitted with electric motors in each rear wheel and a large lithium ion battery, which is mounted in the rear of the vehicle. As lithium battery technology improves, the battery size will be reduced in production models, Perry said.

Switching on power to the electric motors on the two rear wheels made a huge difference by reducing the amount of power required from the internal-combustion engine, he added.

“The whole point was to demonstrate the feasibility of adding the electrical motor to the rear wheel of the car without changing the brakes, bearings, suspension — anything mechanical,” Perry said.

The gas-saving principle of the plug-in hybrid technology is the use of an electric motor to supplement the power coming from the internal combustion engine. To view Perry explaining the process, visit http://avs.mtsu.edu/video/plug-hybrid-retrofit-kit-revised.

All nine students, who now have graduated with bachelor’s or master’s degrees, came from the engineering-technology department.

Jay Perry (no relation to Charles Perry), Brent Brubaker, Ken Gendrich, Brandon Cromwell, Alex Kirchoff, Ken Garrett, Brian Mastley, Suneth Wattage and David Gray have provided unique student talents and abilities in bringing the vision of Charles Perry and Paul Martin III to fruition.

Jay Perry (mechanical design/build and drawing), Brubaker (electrical design and build), Gendrich (programming), Cromwell (computer numerical control machining) and Wattage (finite elements analysis modeling) comprise the most recent group working on the project.

Kirchhoff (drawing), Garrett (electrical design/build), Mastley (mechanical build) and Gray (mechanical machining) assisted in the first years of the project.

“It was a huge honor to work on it,” Brubaker, a May graduate, said of the wheel-hub motor project. “I got to collaborate with some of the best minds, not only the other students, but the faculty.

“The wheel-hub motor is an answer to a problem. It’s innovative technology. You can take and bolt it on a car. When people see that, their eyes light up. They think it might cost a lot of money and are surprised when you tell them it might be $3,000. We have a lot of student projects that I have been a part of, but the wheel-hub was my favorite out of the whole thing.”

Jay Perry will remain heavily involved in the project this fall. Charles Perry said he is uncertain of Brubaker’s status. Other students will join the team as plans develop.

Perry, who also is a professor in the engineering-technology department, said the student contribution proved invaluable.

“We’ve had heavy student involvement,” Perry said. “One of our goals has been to utilize students in the building, testing and design. Nine students in the last five years very much were involved in all aspects of developing this technology.”

Team Perry also includes John Rozell, Department of Engineering Technology assistant director, and Rick Taylor, director of laboratories.

Martin, an employee who left MTSU in October 2011 to go to work for Quality Industries in La Vergne, assisted Perry three years. He is the son of alumna and MTSU Foundation immediate past president Murray Martin. His father, alumnus Paul W. Martin Jr., and uncle, businessman Lee Martin of Knoxville, donated $2 million toward the building of the Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors Building.

Perry said three faculty members played prominent roles in the project: Dr. Chong Chen advised in the motor’s design and directed Wattage’s modeling work; Dr. Richard Redditt oversaw the mechanical build of the earliest prototype of the wheel-hub motor; and Dr. Ron McBryde was a consultant and oversaw student involvement in the machine shop.

Perry said they have reached what industry insiders call “the valley of death” with regard to technology transfer of the project from the laboratory to commercial product.

“We have gained proof of concept in terms of feasibility,” he said. “We need quite a bit of money to have proof of product. What we’ve achieved is a demonstrated technology, not a proven technology. Investors want to see proven field- tested performance and reliability. We have to pass through this transition, from feasibility to true, viable product.”

Perry said an industry partner has stepped forward “and is totally committed to us.” He added that this manufacturing partner will accompany him to anticipated upcoming presentations.

Perry, who had 40 patents in a 28-year career with IBM before coming to MTSU, said Lou Svendsen, university counsel with the Tennessee Board of Regents, will join him in approaching companies that have both U.S. and worldwide fleets of vehicles, especially those “interested in green technology, reducing carbon footprint and savings in fuel costs,” Perry said.

— mtsunews.com