HYDROGEN SAFETY MONITORING ON CHALLENGE X VEHICLE

In 2006, seventeen Universities across the United States competed in the United States Department of Energy's "Challenge X," a project based on reengineering a General Motors Equinox vehicle to minimize energy consumption and emissions while meeting or exceeding the performance of the original vehicle. The team from Texas Tech University used National Instruments CompactRIO Programmable Automation Controller (PACs) and the LabVIEW Real-Time Operating System to monitor H2 tank pressure, temperature and deionized water status. National Instruments PACs were also used to monitor and trigger the emergency stop system within the vehicle, if alarming levels of hydrogen are sensed anywhere within the vehicle.