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KERS
Mar 19, 2010 20:11:42 GMT
Post by stevet on Mar 19, 2010 20:11:42 GMT
Has anyone done any work on a " KERS" type thin on a gravity soap box and would it be alowed to be used thinking on a flywheel arangement which would be stationary at the top ( so no stored energy) but spun up by the box running downhill so after a bend it could be used to help the cart speed up after the bend
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KERS
Mar 19, 2010 22:59:52 GMT
Post by andy on Mar 19, 2010 22:59:52 GMT
[glow=red,2,300]I`m pretty sure some one will have a view on this topic !!!
[/glow]
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KERS
Mar 20, 2010 0:29:57 GMT
Post by Scottish Cartie Association on Mar 20, 2010 0:29:57 GMT
Totally illegal under all the rules I know about. But still an interesting idea to play with.
I was thinking about it a while ago, and I don't think it would be technically that difficult. However, spinning it up using the speed of the cartie would just slow you down overall so it wouldn't help. If you only spun up the flywheel when braking, and then engaged it afterwards to recover some of that lost energy then it might help.
On most courses it wouldn't help at all, however, as you don't touch the brakes from top to bottom anyway.
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KERS
Mar 20, 2010 0:32:30 GMT
Post by azuma on Mar 20, 2010 0:32:30 GMT
I'm sure the rules for most events cater for this and are usually worded so that this type of energy storage device is not used. i.e. any ballast must be fixed securely so it does not pose a risk to drivers or spectators. As you can imagine you will not be the first to dream up ways of "finding energy. i.e. using water as ballast but having a release mechanism to release water has known to be outlawed in the past. Thinking outside the box is good though, but in the spirit of gravity racing is it sportsman like??? If the flywheels were fixed to the wheels it would not be a problem,no different to fixxing ballast. the only problem here is that they would need to be fixed very accuratelyand securely and balanced or the vibration would be severe.
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KERS
Mar 20, 2010 9:17:53 GMT
Post by woody on Mar 20, 2010 9:17:53 GMT
Mmmm , outside the box you say ?, what i need is a " gravity intensifying field" so my Kart gets pulled down the hill faster P.S. not as silly as it sounds , do a search on google ! try anti gravity , its the same thing in a different direction
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KERS
Mar 20, 2010 20:20:20 GMT
Post by peasnbarley on Mar 20, 2010 20:20:20 GMT
I just knew somebody had been snooping around in our workshop. We test ran the prototype at Cairngorm last year but unfortunately the on/off switch went wonky going into the hairpin during the final. Schoolboy error really as we should have fitted a waterproof switch.
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KERS
Aug 5, 2011 12:28:09 GMT
Post by grahamk on Aug 5, 2011 12:28:09 GMT
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KERS
Aug 5, 2011 16:46:25 GMT
Post by stevec12 on Aug 5, 2011 16:46:25 GMT
i love the idear for a drag bike ! may like to have a bit of a shield between the flywheel and my head though no on a gravity cart the distinction between" stored energy" and" energy storage" needs to be made if you sit on the line with the flywheel moving you have a store of energy that could be used and would not be legal however if it is statonary and the only power to spin it up is from the carts speed with a novel but tricki gear arangement so that as you brake for the switch it spins the flywheel and then you can use that power along the strate after to recover what you can . id love to build one but i dont think you could put enough power in to make carrying all that engeneering (thats bound to go wrong)to get enough advantage
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KERS
Oct 27, 2011 16:01:05 GMT
Post by Scottish Cartie Association on Oct 27, 2011 16:01:05 GMT
That's not quite "KERS", as you have to put the energy in first using your legs/pedals. A proper KERS system would be linked to the brakes so it would spin up to slow you down so you can put the energy back in when you want to speed up again. This, however, looks much more like what you'd need. And a change in the rules to make it legal, of course.
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KERS
Oct 28, 2011 11:05:45 GMT
Post by neils on Oct 28, 2011 11:05:45 GMT
This would mean you could have a course that had an uphill section though
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