506: Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge

The National Fluid Power Association holds a yearly competition for college students, challenging us to rethink how bikes work by using fluid power. Imagine pedaling a bike where your energy powers a hydraulic pump, which moves fluid through a motor to turn the wheels. It’s like water flowing through a mill, but the energy flows through tubes to make the bike move.

We designed a three-wheeled bike combining pedaling with hydraulics. We chose key parts like a hydraulic accumulator to store energy, solenoid valves to direct fluid flow for mode selection and mountain bike wheels for strength. These parts worked together making the bike faster, more efficient and easier to control.

Since this was our university’s first time in the competition, learning about hydraulics was challenging. We began with what we knew, purchasing the right bike frame before focusing on hydraulic components. We sought advice from engineers and researched to design a system balancing power and control. Our system lets riders pedal smoothly while storing energy for sprints. We evaluated everything from system pressure to rider response time.

We competed in four events in Ames, Iowa: sprint, efficiency, endurance and regenerative braking. Our team completed all races and placed well, especially in midway and final reviews. Using hydraulic power, the NFPA enabled us to learn hydraulics essentials, a subject not commonly taught in universities. This brought awareness to a field often unnoticed by many engineers.