KERS in F1 and other formula

[tuffer]

Why don't they make it unlimited? Other than safety and having a gazzilion voltages stored in some super whizz battery surely the teams should be encouraged to recover as much energy as possible.

[P-Jay]

tuffer said:

Why don't they make it unlimited? Other than safety and having a gazzilion voltages stored in some super whizz battery surely the teams should be encouraged to recover as much energy as possible.

It's primarily an overtaking aid, if it was made unlimited the likelihood is some bright spark with a slide rule in each time would calculate the optimum balance of output, longevity and battery weight etc and it would become standardised across the field nullifying its purpose.

It's one of my faviorte aspects of 'new F1' as it offers some strategy choice for the driver to use in defence / attack.

[robmlufc]

More a question of recovering and storing it all. Toyota and Audi store 500Kj in their systems, they recover that in 7 defined braking zones at Le Mans but can use it whenever they like. So they use 3.5Mj a lap at the moment, in 2014 that is increased to 8Mj a lap. Interesting the Toyota system kicks out 300hp and the Audi system only 200hp.

[rdjohn]

I think that when the current target was set for 2009, it was considered ambitious and is still difficult to achieve at circuits like Monza due to short braking areas.

The 2014 levels will be much harder to achieve and probably saw-off the PURE engine.

[350Matt]

However with the 2014 rules the turbo will be used as a primary energy generator so its not just braking energy filling up the battery

so the power management will end up bing very complicated as the engine will rev to 15K but be well past its best power by then due to the fuel flow restriction

So driver exits a corner at 9,000 rpm say rev's it up to 12 ish whereupon the KERS motor contributes more and more to make up the torque loss which would have been there if the fuel flow restriction wasn't there

so for the last 3000 rpm you run the engine purely to make some power and more exhaust energy to power the turbine motor to generate electricity to then put back into the KERS motor

and then do it all again for the next gear

easy eh?

[brierleys]

350Matt said:

However with the 2014 rules the turbo will be used as a primary energy generator so its not just braking energy filling up the battery

so the power management will end up bing very complicated as the engine will rev to 15K but be well past its best power by then due to the fuel flow restriction

So driver exits a corner at 9,000 rpm say rev's it up to 12 ish whereupon the KERS motor contributes more and more to make up the torque loss which would have been there if the fuel flow restriction wasn't there

so for the last 3000 rpm you run the engine purely to make some power and more exhaust energy to power the turbine motor to generate electricity to then put back into the KERS motor

and then do it all again for the next gear

easy eh?

I predict a lot of car failures. KERS seems to be unreliable, judging by the many radio conversations we hear on the coverage.