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Puzzles, Games and Name That Car => Solved AutoPuzzles => 2013 => Topic started by: Carnut on June 24, 2013, 07:58:43 AM

Title: Solved - NEH 2767: Viking 29 Electric Hybrid TPV-powered car - 1997
Post by: Carnut on June 24, 2013, 07:58:43 AM

What's this, by whom, from when - for 1 point?:

ANYONE FOUND GIVING ANSWERS OBTAINED BY USING GOOGLE SEARCH BY IMAGE MAY BE BANNED FOR AN INDETERMINATE PERIOD!

Title: Re: NEH 2767
Post by: Carnut on July 03, 2013, 05:30:18 AM

Experts?

Title: Re: NEH 2767
Post by: moltogatto on July 03, 2013, 06:50:59 AM

Porsche engined?

Title: Re: NEH 2767
Post by: Carnut on July 03, 2013, 08:07:58 AM

Quote from: moltogatto on July 03, 2013, 06:50:59 AM

Porsche engined?

No!

Title: Re: NEH 2767
Post by: Carnut on July 17, 2013, 04:55:40 AM

Professionals..

Title: Re: NEH 2767
Post by: Allemano on July 17, 2013, 05:04:31 AM

electric?

Title: Re: NEH 2767
Post by: Carnut on July 17, 2013, 05:10:18 AM

Quote from: Allemano on July 17, 2013, 05:04:31 AM

electric?

Yes.

Title: Re: NEH 2767
Post by: Allemano on July 17, 2013, 05:22:15 AM

Viking 29 by Vehicle Research Institute of Western Washington University.


Is it from 2009  :disbelief:  1999  :idea:  1997?

Title: Re: NEH 2767
Post by: Carnut on July 17, 2013, 06:13:33 AM

Quote from: Allemano on July 17, 2013, 05:22:15 AM

Viking 29 by Vehicle Research Institute of Western Washington University.


Is it from 2009  :disbelief:  1999  :idea:  1997?

That's the car, yes.
Apparently it's the world's first thermophotovoltaic-powered car (bet you didn't know that..!)

Thermophotovoltaic (PTV) energy conversion is a direct conversion process from heat differentials to electricity via photons! (Sounds more like a story from Star Trek to me..!)

It's difficult to ascertain exactly when this car was built, and it was still being shown as a novelty in 2009.  But below is an extract from a paper published on 6th August 1997:

QUOTE
Viking 29 is being built under a U.S. Department of Energy contract by the Vehicle Research Institute (VRI) at Western Washington University and JX Crystals of Issaquah, WA to demonstrate a thermophotovoltaic (TPV) generator. The 10 kW TPV generator being developed for use in a vehicle makes use of gallium antimonide (GaSb) photovoltaic (PV) cells surrounding a central emitter heated by a compressed natural gas flame to 1700 Kelvin. The infrared photons generated activate the PV cells to produce electricity which maintains a charge in the battery. Preliminary emission testing has shown that this generator is 50 times cleaner than an equivalent internal combustion engine (ICE).
UNQUOTE

Here's the unmodified puzzle photo and a rear view:

Title: Re: Solved - NEH 2767: Viking 29 Electric Hybrid TPV-powered car - 1997
Post by: Allemano on July 17, 2013, 07:20:34 AM

That's why I had to correct the date twice...  :shiner:

However if you google "Viking 29 AND 1997" you got some reliable results.