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UI's chemically-powered car takes first place

University of Idaho chemical engineering students continue the College of Engineering tradition to pave the way in innovation with vehicles and fuels.

UI's 2005 Chem-E-Car team took first place at the American Institute of Chemical Engineers Pacific Northwest Regional Conference in Corvallis, Ore. April 23.

The nine team members are Andrew Miles, Vancouver, Wash.; Joshua Hunt, Lewiston; Ryan Weaver, Eagle River, Alaska; James Russell, Moscow; Brenda Eby, Bonners Ferry; Jeff Miller, Moscow; Dusty Berggren, Palmer, Alaska; Kevin Jeffreys, Coeur d'Alene/Culdesac; and Meng Tan, Moscow.

The team's winning run at the 97-foot distance target with a full 500 milliliter load was -44 inches, compared to Washington State University's second place run of -401 inches and University of British Columbia's third place run of -503 inches. The UI team then gave an extra exhibition run which was +27 inches while the other teams could not improve on their distances.

The car is shoe-box size and is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. It was required to carry a load over a specific distance. The team will demonstrate it today (Friday, April 29) at the 2005 Engineering Design EXPO, Silver Room or the UI Student Union Building.

Meng Tan also received a fourth-place award for his paper presentation "Methanol Recovery During Biodiesel Production."