Comments on: KERS causing problems for F1 teams

By: Carlos

Carlos — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 01:15:46 +0000

Last i heard they will use a new Flux Capacitor which sometimes will produce 1.21 gigawatts of eletricity..say it ain’t so..

By: Polak

Polak — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:24:05 +0000

Green Flag: I completely agree with you on your prediction. This is currently a baby step in performance but a leap in the evolution of F1.

I’m not a “green” person that worries about racing’s impact on the environment. I really wouldn’t be at all touched if F1′s fuel consumption was measured in barrels instead of liters and the cars spat fireballs during every shift, but its inevitable that the sport will go pseudo green. Thats all good as long as performance levels don’t drop and motorsports such as F1 make sure that there is green technology that will keep our road worthy performance cars alive. What do you think will happen to 5mpg Ferrari s in a few years when laws will be past against producing such beasts. This is a way for performance to stick around during the green revolution that seems to be beginning right now. I would rather see a Hybrid Ferrari in a few years then nothing but a gay prius.

By: Green Flag

Green Flag — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:13:38 +0000

There is so much nonsense written about the KERS technology and the FIA rules. Basically, the 2009 FIA KERS rules allow any type of energy recovery, energy storage and energy reuse technology – motor-generators with batteries or supercapacitors, flywheels with CVTs, hydraulic or pneumatic systems; you can even use a rubber band if you could make it work. The only restrictions, for 2009, relate to how much energy can be recovered and reused in any one lap – 400kJ – and the maximum power, in or out, of any KERS must not exceed 60kW. However, all energy recovery and reuse of that energy can only be made at the rear wheels, i.e. rear wheel drive only.

This is brand new technology and there will naturally be many early mistakes and mishaps, but with ten teams and dozens of component manufacturers researching, testing and developing the systems, within a very short time effective, powerful and safe KERS will be refined and perfected. Each year the FIA will allow more energy recovery and more power to be used, and most likely permit front wheels to be used for additional energy recovery. Within 2 or 3 years it will be hard to imagine an F1 car without KERS power, and the systems will have been implemented by most other forms of motor sports.

By: Polak

Polak — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:55:20 +0000

@Sush

I believe there are two general types of KERS systems in development. BMW is using a system that recovers electricity and stores it in batteries. There is another system that utilizes a flywheel that spins at insane rpm in a vacuum sealed casing. This flywheel is connected to the drive train via a CVT to optimize its input and output. Do a search on KERS and you should get some interesting results.

By: Keith Collantine

Keith Collantine — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:53:49 +0000

The BMW mechanic had to spend the night in hospital: more here

By: Rabi

Rabi — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 08:53:22 +0000

This is serious if the BMW mechanic got an electric shock as that could potentially lead to a fuel fire.

And what on impact in a crash could the static electricity dissapate or ignite a fuel tank and in the case of Kovaleinen’s accident in Spain he would not have survived buried under those tyres if the electric shock ignited the fuel tank.

By: DG

DG — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 07:24:16 +0000

Hmmm I’d like a bit more background to Honda’s ‘testing its KERS in a working car’, as the statement doesn’t say if they had troubles or not. Also wasn’t the BMW a ‘working car’?
I did think that the FIA spec is for a flywheel and not electronic, so was the BMW problem just generally ‘car’ related and not KERS?

By: Sush

Sush — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 06:20:33 +0000

Michael Counsell, judging by the electric shock involved, its probably a peizoelectric element.

then again all KERS change the energy to electrical? so i’m probably wrong. the Williams F1 team are using a huge mechanical Diff for KERS.

right, I just said alot without getting anywhere!

By: cgmasson

cgmasson — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 23:43:50 +0000

” a BMW mechanic got an electric shock while testing the device at Jerez ”

and now we see what Mosely was excited about…

By: michael counsell

michael counsell — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 23:14:02 +0000

The simple physics of a flywheel used in a KERS means its not a good idea to touch. If my old university can develop a KERS for buses, an F1 team can without any trouble.

Anyone know what type of KERS they are using, flywheel or supercapacitor, or something else?