Basic Utility Vehicle: Firetruck
John Keeports, Austin Weaver
Design
Introduction
Analysis
We implemented and tested an electric clutch on the pump
which allows the pump to be constantly connected to the engine while running.
The Basic Utility Vehicle: Firetruck seeks to provide modern firefighting equipment to
a mission in Kenya and eventually other poor rural areas.
We aim to provide an affordable means to increase safety in the communities.
The pump can be engaged or disengaged, without regard to
engine speed.
We are working on a Basic Utility Vehicle (BUV) insert which would add firefighting
and additional functionality to existing, in country BUVs, without the need to buy a
new BUV.
A basic utility vehicle is a 3 wheeled truck with minimal safety and comfort features.
Most of the recognizable truck components have been removed to reduce cost, but the
engine, bed, drive system, and frame remain.
Results of the SolidWorks Stress Analysis
Pump with Clutch
We ran a SolidWorks Stress Analysis on the BUV frame.
Instead of using one large
tank, we decided to link
three, 55-gallon drums
together, as these are more
readily available and
cheaper in country.
We designed a frame which
would allow the drums to
be configured vertically to
aid water flow.
A Basic Utility Vehicle, courtesy of Drivebuv.org
The frame was made of one inch steel tubing and was intended to hold three, 55-gallon
plastic barrels.
The total load on the frame would be roughly 1,420 pounds and would be distributed
over its upper and lower members.
The simulation revealed that the static stress would be about half of the allowable yield
stress for the material.
Proposed Frame Design
One of our major concerns was the sloshing affects of the water on the back of a moving
vehicle.
At first we only considered if this would break our frame due to torsional affects and
excessive horizontal forces.
Clients
The Institute for Affordable Transportation
Will Austen - IAT Executive Director
www.drivebuv.org
While researching we did not find a practical method to model these effects accurately, so we
were unable to represent them in our simulation.
Our research did show that the major effect of sloshing is the tipping of vehicles, and
preventing this requires extensive driver training.
Because our design is so tall, and considering that the Basic Utility Vehicle only has three
wheels, this tipping problem became a real concern.
This was too small a margin, when considering impact loading (a bump in the road) and
the affects of water sloshing, the stresses would become greater than the safely
allowable limit.
Conclusions
Based on concerns raised by the analysis and research regarding the sloshing and impact
loading, we are working to redesign the frame to minimize the overall height.
By minimizing the height, both the structural and tipping problems, due to water movement and normal operation, will be reduced.
We plan to connect the three drums containing the water next to each other so that they
may lie flat in the bed of the BUV, giving us an advantage of a lower center of gravity.
“The Institute for Affordable Transportation seeks to improve the lives of the world's poor
by providing simple, low-cost vehicles to facilitate community transformation. BUVs open
More Information
up possibilities for faster water delivery to remote villages, for quickened access to medical
care, and for the safe transportation of goods and people through rugged terrain.”
Our project charter can be found on the Collab Internal Webpage, accessible from
Messiah.edu
More information regarding our client can be found at www.drivebuv.org
For specific questions, contact student project manager John Keeports at [email protected]
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank our project manager Dr. Pratt for his help, direction, and personal
involvement.
We would like to also thank Will Austen for providing us the opportunity to collaborate with the
Institute for Affordable Transportation.