KERS system for karts?

Walt Gifford · Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2012 8:31 pm Post subject:

That would lead to rocket boost down force at the apex of the turns.

Austin Newman · Joined: 07 Dec 2012 Posts: 3

I know that this is bringing up an old thread, but I thought I would share that I am currently developing a KERS unit (rotax max kart) for my Senior Design Project in Mechanical Engineering. (Should I make a new thread?)

The system has been engineered this past semester; now for a bunch of assembly, testing, and coding.

Any input/advice is wanted and welcome as there might be something that I or others have looked past. Does anyone have mycron data they can share?

Special thanks to Orlando Kart Center for sponsorship.

Justin Martin · Joined: 27 Mar 2012 Posts: 328

Shoot. Who needs KERS? We already have DRS! Just tuck on the straight, an easy 25 mph!

Wink

John Matthews · Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2012 3:10 pm Post subject:

joseph hollinger · Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2012 4:43 pm Post subject: Re: KERS system for karts?

Greg Lindahl · Joined: 13 Jan 2011 Posts: 266

Several ways to accomplish KERS with karts, none of them simple or low resource methods.
Herr O'hara; It's not the same as before in roadracing, but it's still the most open kind of kart racing. Unfortunately, there are few racers in the discipline. I still love trying new approaches to solving aero, friction, inertia, etc. problems with my sprint roadracers and have just purchased a laydown kart to experiment again in the CR80 laydown group racing in the Pacific Northwest.
Come out and play!

Austin Newman · Joined: 07 Dec 2012 Posts: 3

Yes there will be a significant amount of regeneration. More than enough to lock the wheels, so the hope will be to only use regen for braking while keeping a good brake pedal feel.

The biggest challenge has been to keep the weight low. Formula One standards are near impossible.

A highlight is that the units power to Engine power ratio is calculated to be about 3x that of F1.

So no one has any mycron or data logs that they could share with me? I'm trying to fine tune an application ramp function.

Brian Degulis · Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 9:20 am Post subject:

Justin Martin · Joined: 27 Mar 2012 Posts: 328

I was sleeping on it last night, and came up with a little bit of food for thought.

Now I dont agree with a Kers system for shifters, as they have enough power as is. However I believe a Kers button in a TaG class would be absolutely awesome! First off a little pull of of a corner here or there in a TaG would add that little bit of extra competitiveness and strategy to racing.

AS for the Retention or recharging system. If you could develop the motor/generator to be on a hydraulic clutch you could modulate it like a brake. By this i mean, similar to shifters how they modulate brake bias, you could set up a hydraulic clutch to have a certain bias in with the rear brake. Being that TaG already runs a rear only brake it wouldn't change much. The only difference would be figuring out where the correct "bias" would be so you still maintain a positive brake feel. In the mean time you could have a one way bearing for the drive of the generator. (IE, it engages under a load.)

I think TaG with a KERS system would be the next BIG thing in single speed racing.

Justin Martin · Joined: 27 Mar 2012 Posts: 328

After thinking about it, I had to add 50 pounds just to meat Tag Sr weight anyways...

The downfall would be trying to find a place where the kart would balance... an Electric motor/ recovery system would surely be rear wheel weight....

paul rees · Joined: 06 May 2007 Posts: 264

Steve O'Hara · Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2012 12:53 am Post subject:

Paul,

Those are the folks I was referring to in my original post. UAS is the only place where any creativity is allowed... too bad there isn't anything like that out west.
Steve O'Hara

Ken Olson · Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2012 7:07 am Post subject:

Come play.. Washington UAS, Oregon UAS, SoCal UAS, Arizona UAS.. definitly out west.. http://www.unlimitedallstars.org/

Posted some pictures of our KTM 250 UAS ride in the "Superkart" section.

Also a bunch of guys from the NW are racing on ICE this weekend..
http://icespeedway.com/
_________________
Ken Olson
Pacific NW Tire Services
Major Racing's "Roll N Prep"
BRC Engineering 150RR

John Mulvihill · Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2012 10:38 am Post subject:

Want a cheap KERS on a clutch kart? Add more weight to the crank.

John
_________________
I bowl overhand..........

Justin Martin · Joined: 27 Mar 2012 Posts: 328

Okay guys, I hate to bring back a dead thread, BUT a Kers system would be seriously cool. I think it would give TaG that little bit extra edge.

I am pretty big in the RC world. Long story short 4kw-10kw of electric power is VERY easily doable. This would translate into 5-13 bhp. The set up would be fairly straight forward. Opposite side of the engine.

A setup to provide 4kw weighs about 5-6 pounds including battery (and Electric speed control). 4KW is the equivalent of 5.3hp.

Most of us have to run extra weight anyways, and for a sportsman, or club kind of guy this could add a lot of fun.

The Idea would be simple, a 4 wheel brake master-cylinder system. One would go to your rear disk, however the other would go to a hydraulic clutch. This would allow you to adjust the differential between electric motor braking, and disk braking, so you can maintain feel. It wouldn't need more than a few seconds o burst, so no need for a super high capacity battery.

With lipo batteries now of days, the whole system might add 10-15 pounds to your kart including battery, motor, and clutch. That being said, and extra 5-13 horse, would be WELL worth the weight, considering most of us run 10-20 pounds of lead anyways (I have to run 50!)

Karters brag about being the closest thing to F1, so why not pursue something similar?