F1 Cars Get A Power Boost

THE first Formula 1 cars to be fitted with a controversial energy recovery system are due to race in this season's opening Grand Prix in Melbourne, Australia, on Sunday. But questions over the safety of the system remain unresolved in the run-up to the race. The problem is that the kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) introduces a new set of risks to the sport, raising the possibility of battery fires, electrocution and flying debris.

Nobody knows how safe the systems will prove to be, particularly in high-speed crashes.
The rules of F1 allow recovered energy to be used to deliver 60 kilowatts of extra power - equivalent to 10 per cent of peak engine power - for 6.5 seconds each lap. Available at the push of a button, the extra oomph will make overtaking easier and so improve F1 as a spectator sport, says Charlie Whiting of the International Automobile Federation (FIA), F1's governing body. The FIA also wants to boost its green credentials: the hope is that the KERS technology will find its way into road cars, reducing their fuel consumption.

KERS works by recovering some of the energy dissipated when cars brake and storing it electrically or mechanically. A dynamo/motor converts the rotational energy of the drive shaft into current and also works in reverse, using current to turn the drive shaft. Between these stages, the energy is stored either electrically in a bank of lithium-ion batteries, or as kinetic energy in a heavy, fast-rotating flywheel.The question is, which storage method is best? Renault, BMW-Sauber and McLaren's F1 teams have chosen the battery option, which is already used in a much simpler form in hybrid cars like the Toyota Prius. That gives the best performance relative to weight and size and can also be easily transferred to road cars, says Markus Duesmann of the BMW-Sauber F1 team. But one team, Williams F1, has chosen the flywheel option. "Our analysis shows that flywheels are much better at getting the energy in and out more quickly," says Damien Scott of Williams. He says road car-makers are already interested in using the company's flywheel technology. So where do the risks come from? The high-voltage electronics both systems require are an obvious risk. One video available on YouTube shows a mechanic in the BMW-Sauber team flying onto his back after receiving a shock from the team's F1 car."The mechanic suffered an electric shock after touching the bodywork and steering wheel of the car together," says Duesmann. The mechanic was unhurt, but the system has since been redesigned to prevent a repeat.