The Hylander Requiem Motors for Glory Before a Hometown Crowd
The Hylander Requiem, a technology-filled cart atop mini monster wheels that is powered by self-generated hydrogen, will attempt to motor to victory this weekend at the regional round of the annual Chem-E-Car Competition.
This year, Highlander Nation will be cheering loudly – and collectively – as the NJIT roadster competes against 14 other teams, including Columbia and the University of Pennsylvania, on the NJIT campus, the host of the 2022 American Institute of Chemical Engineers mid-Atlantic Student Conference.
The Hylander, which the team describes affectionately as “a fast and powerful bulky monster,” has also won praise for its fuel system.
“The car generates its own hydrogen and consumes it right away, which is a key safety feature. The lower the storage pressure, the less likely it is to explode,” noted senior Allen Reed, the team’s co-captain.
Its mission, to traverse a room at a steady roll and stop at the finish line when time is called, is no mean feat. Its success rests upon two highly calibrated devices – a fuel cell to move and an intricate braking system to stop – that are both triggered by chemical reactions. The car that comes closest to the finish line before shutting itself off is proclaimed the winner.
“I have high hopes for success this year. Over the course of the semester, our team has come up with several ideas to improve the car and make it more efficient. These ideas include a new starting mechanism, which has improved the design by making it safer and easier to begin the starting reaction,” said senior Stephany Cabrejos, the team captain. “These improvements have significantly affected our results, allowing us to better predict what the car needs in order to get us to that desired distance within the two-minute time frame.”
The conference, which will be held in person on April 8 and 9 with 24 universities in attendance, features a number of other games and competitions, including ChemE Jeopardy and research presentations, as well as a career fair.
Those who cannot attend the Chem-E Car contest can watch virtually in real time by obtaining a free ChemE Car Contest Virtual Spectator ticket here.