F1 Hybrid

[crashtd]

saw this and thought it was interesting:

It’s not quite the same type of hybrid drive-train you’d see in street vehicles, but in an exciting announcement, Max Mosely of F1 has announced that all cars will become hybrid by 2013, along with other changes to the vehicles.

The hybrid system that will be phased in is known as KERS, which stands for Kinetic Energy Recovery System. KERS doesn’t store as much energy as a traditional hybrid system, but it only weighs 55 pounds and the limited energy storage capacity is well suited for Formula-style racing.


The biggest difference between KERS and a regular battery-electric hybrid is that KERS stores recovered waste energy in a rotating flywheel. Instead of converting waste energy into electricity and than back into useful energy again with an electric motor, KERS simply transfers the kinetic energy to a ~5kg flywheel in the F1 car’s transmission. The energy stored in the flywheel can then be used by the driver by pushing a “boost” button.

KERS is particularly exciting for us regular car drivers because the creators have claimed that it is twice as efficient as a standard hybrid system. If this system can be applied to production vehicles, it will be possible to realize huge improvements in fuel economy and pretty respectable reductions in GHG emissions.

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[TLPedro]

wouldn't the gyroscopic inertia of the spinning flywheel make the cars more difficult to turn?

[The Ring-In]

wouldn't the gyroscopic inertia of the spinning flywheel make the cars more difficult to turn

you would expect it would but the influence is related to diameter and mass
this one has a small diameter and relatively low mass . so i'd say it may not be that much of a problem. Its also at right angles to the crankshaft so I wonder what that does to the effect of gyroscpic precession caused by the engine and its influence on the handling.

[wreckah]

cool idea!

[chraika1]

with gas prices on the rise even the richest is thinking about saving money on gas

I think its great to see hybred cars racing and on a high level as F1.

Ash

[interpol]

Seems like a pretty novel idea. I thought I read somewhere that they were going to go to some sort of bio-diesel.

Here it is from Wiki [Link]:

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

While there is currently an engine freeze that effectively bans constructors from developing new engines until 2013, there is much speculation on the engine regulations once the freeze is lifted. The FIA and FOM have made statements indicating that both want F1 to be more environmentally friendly and at the same time, be on the front line of future engine development. There is also speculation of a return to turbocharged engines based on comments made by the FIA on finding ways to effectively harness waste heat energy from the cars exhausts.

The FIA could introduce 2.2 litre turbocharged V6 engines running on biodiesel in 2011, restricted to 10,000 rpm and capable of enduring five Grand Prix, to attract generalist automakers with resembling products.[11] This could come along the introduction of traction control, four-wheel drive, power boost devices and identical bodywork to save on aerodynamic competition lacking real-life applications

[Tillerthou]

saw the subject and thought it was about fishing...................F1 carp!! haha!