Formula One: Kinetic Energy Recovery System are the future
The acronym KERS stands for Kinetic Energy Recovery System. While its working might seem complicated, its results could easily be comprehended by any ‘Fast and the Furious’ movie franchise fan, as it offers a ‘boost’ in acceleration.
The device basically recovers the energy that is wasted in the form of heat when a car breaks. The recovered energy is stored up and is converted into a temporary boost by the push of a button at the driver’s discretion.
There are basically two types of classification for the KERS. There is the electrical system that uses a motor generator connected to the car’s transmission that is responsible for converting mechanical energy to mechanical energy and the other way round. The converted energy is then stored in a battery for later use.
Then there is the mechanical alternative, the mechanical systems capture braking energy to turn a small flywheel, which is linked to the car’s rear wheels. The option is rather efficient compared to the electrical system, as it involves no change in the state of mechanical energy. An extension of the mechanical system is the hydraulic KERS. The adaptation simply uses the braking energy to accumulate hydraulic pressure to be forwarded to the wheels when required.
Since the innovation is performance related, it does pose the obvious question whether it’s permitted in Formula 1 or not. Currently the regulations permit the system to add up a maximum of 80bhp. This could benefit lap times from 0.1 to 0.4 seconds a lap. The rules also order that the release of the energy must be totally under the driver’s control; the driver could press the boost button on his steering wheel to either release the power all at once in straight line segments ideally. The driver could also choose to adopt a more conservative approach and divide it in different segments where the car struggles to take up immediate speed.
The primary reason that makes the system so desirable and impervious to strict Formula One regulations would be its appeal to environmentalists. The multi-million dollar sport has often been criticized for merely burning fuel and rubber for an hour and a half’s entertainment show which was why the KERS poses as nothing less of a revelation for Bernie Ecclestone and team. Another option would be to introduce an exciting flair to a sport that already struggles with a lack of overtaking. A car in hot pursuit can use the boost button to potentially gain a spot, while the car in front could use temporary performance gain to evade the car behind. Since the use of the device is limited to a maximum 6.67 seconds a lap, it becomes rather interesting as it enables the driver to give a show of his tactical steel for once.
However, it is believed that the system adds weight to the car compared to a model not running the system – A common misconception.
The KERS system weighs around 35kgs while, Formula One cars must comply with a minimum weight of 620kgs including the driver. Usually Formula One cars are built lighter than the required amount and then use up around 70kg of ballast to bring the weight up to regulations. An advantage of doing so is that adding ballast to different areas of the cars gives the constructors some control of the weight distribution. Teams with KERS, may not be ‘heavier’ than cars without the technology, but have less flexibility playing with the amount of ballast. The FIA has further recognized the disadvantage to teams with heavier drivers and has thus increased the minimum car weight by 15kg for the current season.
With all said and done, the system does have its share of criticism. Cost is an obvious issue, weight distribution, as pointed above, is an obvious flaw. There are also safety concerns as friction breaking is considered effective especially in wet conditions, which often sees the KERS inspired, regenerative braking assisted with the old school friction breaking system to ensure the car comes to a complete halt. Currently, KERS is not mandatory. In fact, there is an informal agreement between the 12 constructors not to use it this season, though that does not mean that KERS may not return in the future.
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