KERS Electric aims to produce electricity by a motorcycle - electric generator (MGU Motor Generator Unit).

This device can be connected directly to the transmission shaft parallel to the exchange or through a cascade of gear reducers. The latter solution is very complex because all the teams that use the electric KERS have turned to the positioning of the MGU in front of the traditional combustion engine. The conversion of kinetic energy into electricity occurs when the driver operates the brake pedal to certain pressures, previously calibrated and operated by the ECU. When the car stops (or release the gas), in fact, the motoalternator, through a system of hydraulic clutches, it should be taken in the crankshaft. Under normal conditions, the motion alternator have to be disconnected, otherwise there would be a loss of power, as well as producing harmful friction. During braking, so the dynamo acts as MGU (such as the alternator of the car as standard). The energy produced is stored in lithium batteries, the combination of which is defined HVB (Hight Voltage Battery Pack). When the pilot will require the extra power, just press a button on the steering wheel. In this phase, the MGU is no longer acting as alternatives but as a driver - electric, going back into socket on the crankshaft or transmission and returning the energy stored earlier. In this phase, electrical energy is converted into mechanical energy. The pilot will use the extra power, at once per revolution (80 Cv continued for 6.67 s), or modulate it and divided several times as it sees fit. The "boost" is also operated during the start, but not immediately turning off the red light. In fact, the system can load and release energy at speeds above 100 km / h. KERS Electric, according to unofficial sources, works at 400 V and 700 - 800 A and weighs all-around 25 -30 kg This weight, it will add weight to the minimum required by regulation (605 kg). Therefore, technicians, must ensure, before the stay KERS to lighten the car and explore a new weight distribution. The idea of KERS is certainly interesting, but not in the 2009 season was a huge success. The strong regulatory limits have the potential to partially castrated, facilitating the task of those teams that have

focused sull'esasperazione aerodynamics, ricunciando immediately to the development of KERS, since the use was optional in 2009. It is no coincidence that Brawn and Red Bull Racing, who have fought for the world title, has never used energy recovery, while Ferrari, McLaren, Renault and BMW have invested significant funds. From the first track tests reveal any problems of reliability and security that had led the Toyota not to venture on this terrain, since the Nissan was that the market was leading the series hybrid cars and did not want a problem F.1 could reflect negatively on sales. In the first test of a BMW mechanic was struck by a burst of eddy currents. and so, mechanics, technicians and road marshals were equipped with special insulating gloves to avoid the violent eddy currents. The trouble with security, in fact, had been cleverly solved, but the nearly 40 kg at the beginning that the system weighed heavily conditioned performance, which were not offset dall'overboost power available in a limited time too. E 'right to ask questions and go on KERS understand what were the problems to be solved. The system, as mentioned earlier, was composed of three elements: the motor-generator that functioned as an alternator and electric motor, lithium batteries and electronic control unit. The motor generator unit (MGU), during deceleration, worked as a generator, producing electricity that was stored in batteries, waiting for the driver to download the extra power during acceleration. In this case, the MGU, powered by batteries, operated by an electric motor, in sync with the combustion, contributing to the car's performance. There was also a special unit that handles all these steps. Williams, however, had experienced an electro-mechanical system instead of the motor generator. The Williams system, the lighter of the electrical system, instead of the lithium battery has a carbonfiber flywheel which rotates in a crankcase vacuum to reduce friction. The fly, which works usually coupled to an electric motor, is expected to reach speeds well in excess of 40.000/50.000 rpm, or even close to 100 rpm. In this system, the stored energy during deceleration is stored in the form of kinetic energy. In practice, this device, on the principle of the old machines toy "friction" (those that are charged by spinning the wheel and then release them and make them run on the floor of the house) inside which there was flying (rather heavy), which Once activated, released its kinetic energy to the transmission shaft connected to the wheels.

The engineers had decided to install it between the engine and the body, in a critical area of the car, surrounded by the fuel tank. KERS weighed around 35-40 kg, a mass that was not added to the minimum weight of F1 (this weight but was added by the Technical Regulations of 2011). The technicians who worked on it, you have less ballast to help find the perfect car balance with a proper weight distribution. The plant not only had the handicap of weight, but also that of the volume: the mass of the KERS car has heavily influenced the design of the car. Ferrari's engineers are able to put all the STTA system in a suitcase the size of a 48 hours, and time are STTA made important steps in the miniaturization of parts. The first MGU weighed about 6 / 7 Kg: permanent magnet synchronous motor turning speed operation of the V8 petrol: 18,000 rpm. Doubling the speed to 36,000 rpm, the mass had fallen by one third, making it necessary, however, in coupling a clutch between the two power units (electric and gasoline). Ferrari and McLaren have benefited from the KERS at the start: these cars have often won the position at the start thanks all'overboost (worked over 100 km / h). The difficulties that had emerged during the season was the charging of lithium batteries and their cooling: in fact, to ensure proper cooling, it had come to a real cooling system. GP in the hottest of the difficulty was to recover all the energy needed to have a sufficient boost, as it varied greatly depending on the shape of the track and the number of detached. The rule, in fact, limited the use of acceleration energy of 400 kJ, but did not prevent a greater storage batterie.Siccome in the performance of the system did not exceed 50% for 400Kj used, it was necessary to dispose of more than 800. Each time they failed to reach the threshold, the more power for 6.6 s, there was 80 hp, but less and less. The Ferrari seems to have never suffered from this problem but the McLaren is, just because the batteries were working in a narrow temperature range. If the battery was too cold not broke, but had too high an internal resistance, so it was not efficient, but it was too hot lost in performance lap after lap. The ideal was to make it work in a range between 75 and 85 degrees, while the electric motor and the electronic control unit could easily withstand the temperatures of the engine, close to 120 C. In mass production there were no batteries to meet the demands of F1 and years of research in the Circus will certainly contribute to the development of new batteries for the market. And the KERS could become a useful tool not only to increase performance but also in reducing fuel consumption.

When (or if) we watch a Formula One race on television this year, the commentators will probably talk about the KERS system, and how (or if) it is being used. The KERS units have yet to attain the same impressive level of reliability of the highly stressed internal combustion engines used alongside them. This is hardly surprising; we understand combustion engines pretty well after having developed them for more than 130 years, and modern race engines, in series where regulations are essentially static, have incrementally increased performance and solved any reliability problems as they occur. There are three main subsystems of the electric KERS systems used in Formula One - the electric motor/generator, the power electronics and the battery. The battery, for both hybrid and pure electric production vehicles, holds the key to producing a light, affordable vehicle. In racing, where the mass of the car is lower and the packaging of major components is critical, the battery represents something that not only has a critical effect on the output of the combined engine/KERS unit but also on the design of the rest of the car. The Red Bull Formula One car this year would not compromise the design of the rest of the car in order to package the KERS system, and this has given the team KERS reliability headaches throughout the season. The battery is made up of multiple cells, connected in series to give the system voltage. They are thought to be exclusively based on lithium ion technology, with each cell giving about 3.6 V output. With systems operating at hundreds of volts in order to limit maximum currents, there can be hundreds of cells in a typical KERS battery. The current 60 kW discharge limit, for a 100-cell battery, would result in an average current draw of about 160 A, with peak currents being higher than this.

I asked battery expert Nigel Vincent of ABSL Power Solutions, which makes lithium ion cells, about various aspects of the cells and their development. He explained that there is a trade-

off between energy density (the amount of energy stored per kilogramme of cells) and power density (the charge/discharge power per kilogramme of cells), with differing chemistries offering different advantages. Lithium ion cells based on LiMnO2 (lithium manganese oxide) and LiFePO4 (lithium iron phosphate) show high power density, but lack energy density compared to newer mixed oxide cells which have excellent energy densities (>225 Wh/kg). These lithium ion chemistries concern the cathode but changes in anode chemistry, according to Vincent, could yield further significant increases in specific energy. Moving away from graphite anodes to ones based on silicone or titanate could see energy densities reaching 350-400 Wh/kg in the next five to ten years. The other important metric against which batteries are judged is the charge/discharge rate, and this is limited, otherwise damage can be caused. This limiting rate is affected by the construction of the cells, with features such as electrode surface areas being important factors, as well as the chemistry being used.

Of great importance in a race application is not only the consideration of energy/power density but also space efficiency. Traditional cylindrical cells are being displaced to a certain extent by pouch cells, which are essentially flat and can therefore be packaged more efficiently. Developments in cell chemistry and manufacturing have also improved the operating life of the cells we might choose to use for race hybrid systems. Other factors affecting cell life, as discussed with Vincent, are said to be the depth of charge/discharge, rate of charge/discharge, charge voltage and ambient temperature. The advent of KERS in Formula One and hybrids in other forms of racing will, hopefully, help drive forward advances in cell chemistry and construction for the benefit of racing and also for production hybrids in future.

Fig. 1 - The pouch cell offers packaging advantages over traditional cylindrical cells (Courtesy of ABSL Power Solutions) Fig. 2 - A traditional cylindrical lithium ion cell (Courtesy of ABSL Power Solutions) I asked about the advantages of a purely electrical system compared to a mechanical system, and the main advantage stated was the flexibility in packaging, and owing to the modular nature of the energy storage, adding extra capacity is simple matter. There is no requirement to have all the energy storage in one place, so mass distribution can be easily tailored to suit the needs of the chassis. One major disadvantage was said to be the transport of the batteries and the cars because of the high voltages involved and the precautions that need to be taken to comply with regulations for air freight and so on. The electric motor-generator unit (MGU) shown in fig. 1 is a liquid-cooled synchronous motor, using permanent magnets. It is geared at a fixed ratio of about 2:1 to the crankshaft speed, and we can therefore expect maximum speeds of about 40,000 rpm for the MGU.

KERS
ABSTRACT In the past decade of the modern car era attempts at inducing Alternative Technology in cars had been made with some amount of success. This gave birth to cars that ran on Electric, Hybrid and Fuel cell technology. Though these cars are present in the market they have failed to make a significant difference as people still prefer gasoline fuelled cars. In 2009 FIA had introduced a row of technical changes to the sport also permitting the teams to run regenerative technology called KERS in an attempt to win back the fans interest and to prove that F1 does care about the environment. The technology already existed in hybrid cars but the primary purpose behind its introduction was to develop an efficient technology that could be transferred to road cars. All the major factory teams came equipped with KERS system but all of them struggled through the first half of the season many even avoiding it after three races due to reliability issues. The ban on testing made developments harder and time consuming. The KERS equipped cars won only three races in the entire season with the first win coming late after mid season. Even after investing huge amount of resources and money on KERS the teams failed to get the best out of the system. In this report the various KERS technologies developed by the F1 teams like electric, flywheel and electromechanical based KERS units and similar systems present in road cars along with their pros and cons are discussed in brief. Apart from the above, which system has more potential to be inducted in road cars is also discussed. INTRODUCTION I do agree that KERS in F1 would benefit the mainstream motor industry given the fact that one of the primary reasons behind its introduction was to facilitate a smooth transfer of the technology to road cars though substantial amount of work needs to be done. The 2009 F1 season introduced the widest range of technical rule changes the sport had witnessed for more than a decade. The one specific topic that got significant attention both from the F1 teams and the media was KERS a device which stores the waste energy produced during braking and releases it during acceleration. The rules limited the amount of energy recovery of KERS to 400kJ per lap, giving an extra 80hp for about 6.5 seconds. The teams were allowed to apply any

means with the condition that they pass the F1 safety standards. After months of research and development the teams came out with innovative ideas but it was evident that the field was divided into two types. Williams was the only team which developed a mechanical flywheel based KERS unit, though they never used it in a race while the rest of the field went for electric KERS unit. In contrast to what most people believe KERS is not a new technology in fact it has been used in a variety of applications including hybrid buses and cars. We shall now study both the systems and the improvements they can bring to the automobile industry. KERS in F1 cars As in any hybrid vehicle the primary factor that limits the efficiency gains over its lifetime is the recoverable energy storage system (RESS). The two most important characteristics of any RESS are specific energy and specific power. The former refers to the amount of energy per kilogram that the system can store and the latter to the rate at which energy can be put into or taken out of the system per kilogram. In the wake of preparations for the 2009 season teams had tested a range of different systems including electric, mechanical, hydraulic and even pneumatic based KERS units. After careful analysation majority of the teams concluded that the electric system would be the best option that would deliver the required amount of energy from the brakes. The norm in F1 to make things as compact and light as possible led the teams to this decision. With the rules allowing the teams only 60Kw of energy for 6.5 seconds per lap, drivers had to be very wise with regard to using this extra power. The KERS system was primarily intended to aid the overtaking of cars but as seen throughout the season most of the KERS equipped cars lacked overall pace at the start of the season and used the KERS for better acceleration out of the corners and to defend their positions. The basic working of the kers unit in F1 cars is very similar to the ones in hybrid road cars. ELECTRIC KERS This system consists of three components, the mototr/generator; KERS control unit and the battery pack. The motor/generator is directly connected to the drive train. It produces electrical energy during braking and releases it back through the transmission when required. The energy captured is stored in the battery which in turn is connected to the Kers control unit that governs the release and storage of energy to and from the batteries. The motor/generators were provided by motorsport company's specialising in this field eg. Magnetti Marelli (supplied for Ferrari,Renault,Toyota,RedBull), Zytek ( Mclaren) who worked closely with the teams to manufacture motor/generators tailor made to suit their design requirements. The heat generated during the charging and discharging process hampers the performance of the motors, hence the motor has an integrated liquid cooling system which weighs just 4kgs in total. The RESS unit (battery) has been developed by the teams themselves and Lithium-ion was the preferred choice. The entire system including the motor/generator, Kers control unit and the batteries weighs around 25-35 kgs with 25.3 kgs being the lightest developed by Zytek for the Mclaren Mercedes team. ADVANTAGES OF ELECTRIC KERS The electric systems allow the teams to be more flexible in terms of placing the various components around the car which helps for better weight distribution which is of vital importance in F1.

The specific energy of Lithium-ion batteries in comparison is unrivalled as they can store considerably more energy per kg which helps reduce the size

DISADVANTAGES OF ELECTRIC KERS

Lithium-ion batteries take 1-2 hours to charge completely due to low specific power (i.e rate to charge or discharge) hence in high performance F1 cars more batteries are required which increases the overall weight of the batteries.

Chemical batteries heat up during charging process and this takes place a number of times in KERS units which if not kept under control could cause the batteries to lose energy over the cycle or worse even explode. The specific power is low as the energy needs to be converted at least two times both while charging or discharging causing energy losses in the process.

REFERENCE 1. Vehicle Propulsion System by Prof. Lino Guzzella, Dr.Antonio Sciarretta, ETH Zurich, Institut fur Mess-und Regeltechnik, Sonneggstr.3, 8092 Zurich Switzerland. 2005 page ( 87-106) and (124-130). 2. Handbook Of Automotive Powertrain & Chassis Design by John Fenton 1998 page (131139). 3. http://www.racecar-engineering.com/articles/f1/426958/exclusive-mclaren-f1-kers.html. 4. Flybrid Systems LLP http://www.flybridsystems.com/Technology.html 5. High Speed Flywheel Based Hybrid System For Low Carbon Vehicles by D.Cross, J.Hilton from IEEE Xplore Oxford Brookes University. 6. TorotrakPlc. http://www.torotrak.com/Resources/Torotrak/Documents/SAE_WC_2009_09PFL0922_KERS.pdf 7. Williams Hybrid Power Lt. http://www.williamshybridpower.com/technology/

The introduction of Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS) is one of the most significant technical introductions for the Formula One Race. Formula One have always lived with an environmentally unfriendly image and have lost its relevance to road vehicle technology. This eventually led to the introduction of KERS. KERS is an energy saving device fitted to the engines to convert some of the waste energy produced during braking into more useful form of energy. The system stores the energy produced under braking in a reservoir and then releases the stored energy under acceleration. The key purpose of the introduction was to significantly improve lap time and help overtaking. KERS is not introduced to improve fuel efficiency or reduce weight of the engine. It is mainly introduced to improve racing performance. KERS is the brainchild of FIA president Max Mosley. It is a concrete initiative taken by F1 to display eco-friendliness and road relevance of the modern F1 cars. It is a hybrid device that is set to revolutionize the Formula One with environmentally friendly, road relevant, cutting edge technology.

Components of KERS The three main components of the KERS are as follows:

An electric motor positioned between the fuel tank and the engine is connected directly to the engine crankshaft to produce additional power. High voltage lithium-ion batteries used to store and deliver quick energy. A KERS control box monitors the working of the electric motor when charging and releasing energy.

A Electric motor B Electronic Control Unit C Battery Pack Working Principle of KERS

Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems or KERS works on the basic principle of physics that states, Energy cannot be created or destroyed, but it can be endlessly converted. When a car is being driven it has kinetic energy and the same energy is converted into heat energy on braking. It is the rotational force of the car that comes to stop in case of braking and at that time some portion of the energy is also wasted. With the introduction of KERS system the same unused energy is stored in the car and when the driver presses the accelerator the stored energy again gets converted to kinetic energy. According to the F1 regulations, the KERS system gives an extra 85 bhp to the F1 cars in less than seven seconds. This systems take waste energy from the cars braking process, store it and then reuse it to temporarily boost engine power. This and the following diagram show the typical placement of the main components at the base of the fuel tank, and illustrate the systems basic functionality a charging phase and a boost phase. In the charging phase, kinetic energy from the rear brakes (1) is captured by an electric alternator/motor (2), controlled by a central processing unit (CPU) (3), which then charges the batteries (4).

In the boost phase, the electric alternator/motor gives the stored energy back to the engine in a continuous stream when the driver presses a boost button on the steering wheel. This energy equates to around 80 horsepower and may be used for up to 6.6 seconds per lap. The location of the main KERS components at the base of the fuel tank reduces fuel capacity (typically 90-100kg in 2008 ) by around 15kg, enough to influence race strategy, particularly at circuits where it was previously possible to run just one stop. The system also requires additional radiators to cool the batteries. Mechanical KERS, as opposed to the electrical KERS illustrated here, work on the same principle, but use a flywheel to store and re-use the waste energy. Types of KERS There are basically two types of KERS system: Electronic KERS

Electronic KERS supplied by Italian firm Magneti Marelli is a common system used in F1 by Red Bull, Toro Rosso, Ferrari, Renault, and Toyota. The key challenge faced by this type of KERS system is that the lithium ion battery gets hot and therefore an additional ducting is required in the car. BMW has used super-capacitors instead of batteries to keep the system cool. With this system when brake is applied to the car a small portion of the rotational force or the kinetic energy is captured by the electric motor mounted at one end of the engine crankshaft. The key function of the electric motor is to charge the batteries under barking and releasing the same energy on acceleration. This electric motor then converts the kinetic energy into electrical energy that is further stored in the high voltage batteries. When the driver presses the accelerator electric energy stored in the batteries is used to drive the car. Electro-Mechanical KERS The Electro-Mechanical KERS is invented by Ian Foley. The system is completely based on a carbon flywheel in a vacuum that is linked through a CVT transmission to the differential. With this a huge storage reservoir is able to store the mechanical energy and the system holds the advantage of being independent of the gearbox. The braking energy is used to turn the flywheel and when more energy is required the wheels of the car are coupled up to the spinning flywheel. This gives a boost in power and improves racing performance. Limitations of KERS Though KERS is one of the most significant introductions for Formula One it has some limitations when it comes to performance and efficiency. Following are some of the primary limitations of the KERS:

Only one KERS can be equipped to the existing engine of a car. 60 kw is the maximum input and output power of the KERS system. The maximum energy released from the KERS in one lap should not exceed 400 kg. The energy recovery system is functional only when the car is moving. Energy released from the KERS must remain under complete control of the driver. The recovery system must be controlled by the same electronic control unit that is used for controlling the engine, transmission, clutch, and differential. Continuously variable transmission systems are not permitted for use with the KERS. The energy recovery system must connect at one point in the rear wheel drive train. If in case the KERS is connected between the differential and the wheel the torque applied to each wheel must be same. KERS can only work in cars that are equipped with only one braking system.

E-KERS forms part of the power transmission of F1 cars. It converts kinetic energy won during the breaking process into electricity with the help of an electric motor that also performs as a generator. This power is stored in lithium-ion batteries and fed back into an electric motor in strictly regulated quantities, which in turn boosts the Formula 1 car's combustion engine during acceleration periods. Isabellenhtte's IVT-F integrated current sensor controls the quantity of power supplied by the E-KERS. The Formula 1 umbrella organisation FIA aims to ensure in this way that the racing teams will not use E-KERS to break the rules. According to the sensor maker, It took just two months to develop the modules though they are specifically designed for use in Formula 1. The sensor measures current, voltage and temperature through different channels at a rate of 3,5 kilosamples per second. It provides fixed calculation of mean value over 16 sampling values and provides the output data across a CAN bus interface at a data rate of up to 1 MBit/s. Operating life time is adequate to Formula 1 requirements with 2000 km (minimum).

Our know how is in the electrical side, explains Roberto Dalla, head of motorsport at the Italian firm. We have lots of experience in alternators and electric motors, whilst we do not have a lot of experience in flywheels or other systems. We feel that the battery side of development is improving all the time. In the future, the scope for development of electrical systems is greater. Despite this, Dalla does not completely dismiss other approaches. With the flywheel system, we were surprised by the dimensions and performance. The hybrid of the two systems, with a flywheel as the storage medium and the motor as a driver, could be an interesting possibility for the future. Up to this point, though, we feel our approach is correct, but only the future will show if we are right or wrong.

THE THREE ELEMENTS The Magneti Marelli system can be broken down into three distinct components. The first element is a motor/generator attached directly to the cars drivetrain. This generates electrical energy under braking and then releases it back into the transmission when required. This, in turn, is linked to an intelligent electronics control unit that controls both the release and capture of energy by the motor/generator and also the flow of energy to and from the third element, the batteries. Initially, Dallas team decided to develop all

three components in-house, but the specific demands of Formula 1 changed this approach, as he explains: In the beginning, when we decided to develop this device, we were aiming to provide a turn-key system, including a battery. However, we quickly decided that the battery design is very closely related to what the teams want to do, how to place it in the car, and how much of a compromise in terms of dimensional performance the team is willing to accept. So we gave the teams the option to use their own battery. Most will use a lithium ion battery, but the system also has the ability to be connected to a super-capacitor. The motor/generator, as is to be expected from a manufacturer with the expertise of Magneti Marelli, is a very compact unit, weighing in at approximately 4kg. Its output is in line with FIA specifications limiting power to 60kW, and the energy stored each lap to 400kJ, with the system optimised to handle this level of performance. It features a synchronous motor with permanent magnets, managed by an electronic control unit. Due to the heat generated during the charging and discharging process, the motor has an integrated liquid cooling system a fact teams are having to address, given the lack of cooling apertures allowed under the 2009 regulations. With the only obvious cooling solutions available to designers carrying an inevitable drag penalty, Dalla aimed to find a good balance between cooling requirements and power delivery. It justifies the extra demands placed on the other systems. We are managing 60kw of power with imperfect efficiency, so there are thermal issues. This means the teams will have to choose the solution that best suits their needs. The more efficient the systems become, the less the demand is placed on the cooling systems. One of the biggest problems both teams and KERS manufacturers have to address is how to package inherently bulky electrical systems within the tight confines of a modern Formula 1 car.
A typical electric KERS F1 configuration locates the electric motor in front of the ic engine, connected via a small shaft spur-geared to the front of the crankshaft. The shaft, turning at crankshaft speed, must be instrumented to measure torque, which can be in either sense: driving (positive) when the electric motor adds torque to the engine, and generating (negative) when the road wheels back-drive through the powertrain and engine to the electric motor which in turn creates a substantial braking effect on the car. It was at this point in early 2008 that Transense Technologies were invited to propose a KERS F1 torque sensing system comprising hardware, interrogation electronics and application software. A 2009 spec F1 engine running at up to 18,000 rpm will generate very high centripetal accelerations, acting inwards, on a sensor mounted on the shaft surface approaching 4000g for the shaft in question. This means that a force equal to 4000 times the weight of the sensor acts outwards trying to tear it away from the shaft. In addition engine vibrations are intense, circa 100g, while operational temperatures range from 70 to 170C. Transense employed their surface acoustic wave (SAW), quartz substrate, dual and triple resonator sensors to opposing sides of the shaft within a hermetically sealed cavity. A non-contacting radio frequency (RF) rotary coupler provided two way signal connection between sensors and miniaturised interrogation

electronics located within the electric motor power electronics and control box. Software, which analyses the RF signals using a Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) algorithm to generate independent torque and temperature signals with 3 kHz update rate, together with further code enabling the FIA to check that performance of the KERS torque system stayed within their requirements, was also provided by Transense. Static torque measuring performance (linearity, repeatability, hysteresis, creep and rotation) was established initially at Transense laboratories near Oxford. Typically at 120C, the combined errors were less than 1% of full scale.

A string of 3 F1 KERS shafts being calibrated within an environmental chamber over the full operational range of torque and temperature

Development proceeded in close co-operation with the electronics and engine suppliers to the F1 race team. Visits from FIA technical representatives were made to understand SAW technology and to ensure that company systems were in place to provide software version control and retrospective traceability. Dynamic testing, at the engine manufacturers facility, were carried out on both electric and engine dynamometers. The acid test on the actual racecar followed. Manufacturing and calibration of KERS shafts including bonding of quartz dies, gold wire interconnects, hermetic sealing and calibration to meet the 2009 seasons requirements were completed at Transense.

Clarence Pilgrim carries out gold wire bonding operations on an F1 KERS shaft in the Class 10,000 clean room

In a typical race weekend, F1 cars run 2 practice sessions, 1 3 qualifying sessions and the race itself, totalling up to 500 miles. As the 2009 season closes, Transense have supplied one race team with torque sensing systems throughout, which have enabled it to demonstrate the benefits of kinetic energy recovery and to make some exceptional passing manoeuvres! KERS layout and functionality charging phase

Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems, or KERS, become optional for 2009. Such systems take waste energy from the cars braking process, store it and then reuse it to temporarily boost engine power. This and the following diagram show the typical placement of the main components at the base of the fuel tank, and illustrate the systems basic functionality a charging phase and a boost phase. In the charging phase, kinetic energy from the rear brakes (1) is captured by an electric alternator/motor (2), controlled by a central processing unit (CPU) (3), which then charges the batteries (4). KERS layout and functionality boost phase

In the boost phase, the electric alternator/motor gives the stored energy back to the engine in a continuous stream when the driver presses a boost button on the steering wheel. This energy equates to around 80 horsepower and may be used for up to 6.6 seconds per lap. The location of the main KERS components at the base of the fuel tank reduces fuel capacity (typically 90-100kg in 2008 ) by around 15kg, enough to influence race strategy, particularly at circuits where it was previously possible to run just one stop. The system also requires additional radiators to cool the batteries. Mechanical KERS, as opposed to the electrical KERS illustrated here, work on the same principle, but use a flywheel to store and re-use the waste energy.

Confident that they could create a motor/generator unit to the required specification, Magneti Marelli concentrated the majority of its development effort on reducing the size and weight of the ECU and the ancillaries. Whilst it is larger than most control boxes found in a grand prix car, Dalla believes it is still very compact in relation to the levels of current and load it is required to handle.

KERS Principle:
The Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) stood out as one of the biggest changes of 2009. With such huge forces in Formula One, the cars contain a very large amount of waste energy, especially under braking. A KERS, however, recovers a large proportion of this wasted kinetic (movement) energy from the brakes and stores it in batteries. The energy in the batteries is then used to boost existing engine power to give the driver extra horsepower.

The KERS system

How a KERS works:

A standard KERS operates by a charge cycle and a boost cycle. As the car slows for a corner, an electric motor (or alternator) captures the waste kinetic energy from the rear brakes. This collected kinetic energy is then passed to a Central Processing Unit (CPU) and onto the batteries. The batteries sit underneath the drivers seat and are positioned centrally to minimise the impact on the balance of the car. Due to the high voltage of the batteries, Shell has developed a bespoke fluid that insulates and cools the batteries to ensure the safety of the system in the Ferrari F60. When the driver presses the boost button on the steering wheel, the batteries transfer the stored energy back to the engine for a maximum of 6.67seconds per lap. This extra energy contributes around 80hp and can shave up to four tenths off a lap time.

How KERS works

Why run a KERS?