How does kers work on f1 cars

But to get the most from KERS, the whole system needs to be as lightweight and compact as possible; otherwise this advantage can quickly disappear. In reality, though, there are other more subtle effects that get in the way of achieving the theoretical 0. It would be easy to lose all of the KERS lap time potential if these points are not well considered. But, provided you can settle upon the ideal solution and get the gearing of your car right, the 60kW boost to the engine should aid overtaking, at least between KERS cars and non-KERS cars.

Subscribe Newsletter. Your special offer X. Subscribe now. Ask for a car insurance quote today. You might also like to read: F1 technical: Fuel tanks explained F1 Australia: The outstanding steering wheels of Formula 1 cars F1 Technical: The evolution of Formula 1 tires Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems or KERS for short are devices used for converting some of the waste energy from the braking process into more useful types of energy, which can then be used to provide the F1 cars with a power boost.

Illustration 1 KERS is based around the fact that energy cannot be created or destroyed, but it can be endlessly converted. When you drive down the road your car has kinetic energy, when you brake that kinetic energy is mostly converted into heat energy.

With KERS, that wasted energy from the car's braking process is stored and then reused to temporarily boost engine power. Illustration 1 is a CAD image showing one type of recovery device installed on top of the gearbox at the rear end of the car. When the car is braking, this mechanism captures the energy produced by the two rear wheels. Illustration 2 shows the typical placement of the main components at the base of the fuel tank, and illustrates the system's basic functionality.

This energy equates to around 80 horsepower and may be used for up to 6. The location of the main KERS components at the base of the fuel tank reduces fuel capacity 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. Williams have approached the energy storage problem in a totally different way, rather than fitting batteries or capacitors, they use a large flywheel. Ian Foley who inevented the system explains in this short video. A number of non electrical systems have also been developed for F1, most notably the Flybrid, designed by former Renault F1 engine boss Jon Hilton.

The system is based on a flywheel and operates totally differently from the Electronic and Williams systems. McLaren and Force India are both believed to have investigated similar systems. More F1 technical information can be found here: Racecar Engineering F1. Subscribe Newsletter. Your special offer X.