KERS is coming back for the 2011 Formula One season, and Red Bull Racing's Mark Webber got together with the team's animation gurus to explain how it works.
For the uninitiated, KERS, or Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems, can utilize either a mechanical, flywheel-operated system – similar to that found on the Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid we featured in Translogic 27 – or a battery-based system that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy. That's what the top F1 teams are using this season.
When the driver brakes, the energy is lost when it's converted to heat. But instead of wasting those precious bits of power, the electrons are transferred from the brakes and stored in a battery pack, allowing the driver to use the additional power for passing. How much power? Around 90 horsepower is available at the push of a button. A nice boost over the 700 ponies already on tap. Check out the video below for a brief primer on how it comes together, along with an explanation of the new adjustable rear wing fitted to all of this year's contenders.
For the uninitiated, KERS, or Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems, can utilize either a mechanical, flywheel-operated system – similar to that found on the Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid we featured in Translogic 27 – or a battery-based system that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy. That's what the top F1 teams are using this season.
When the driver brakes, the energy is lost when it's converted to heat. But instead of wasting those precious bits of power, the electrons are transferred from the brakes and stored in a battery pack, allowing the driver to use the additional power for passing. How much power? Around 90 horsepower is available at the push of a button. A nice boost over the 700 ponies already on tap. Check out the video below for a brief primer on how it comes together, along with an explanation of the new adjustable rear wing fitted to all of this year's contenders.
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