It's Electric!

[BHR4CE1]

BMW has confirmed that the mechanic who received an electric shock during a test of its new Kinetic Energy Recovery System has been released from hospital following further checks overnight.

The unnamed engineer fell to the ground in the pit lane at Jerez testing on Tuesday after he touched the sidepod of a modified 2007 car which was fitted with the KERS device.

He was taken to the circuit's medical centre following the incident and was found to have sustained only slight injuries to his left hand and grazing on his left arm, before returning to work.

But BMW has since confirmed that the mechanic was later taken to a local hospital and remained there overnight for further examination, with doctors releasing him on Wednesday.

“The mechanic who was involved in the KERS incident yesterday underwent additional medical tests in the Jerez hospital last night and today,” a BMW statement read.

“He was subsequently released by the doctors who were happy with the results of their tests.

“The mechanic is on his way back to Switzerland this evening.”

After abandoning the remainder of its planned schedule following the scare on the opening day of the test, BMW reverted to its current car for the second day’s running as it focused solely on 2008-specific work.

[NoM6D]

What a shock.

[bdaw]

What a shock.

har har har

[MalibuBimmer]

Ozzie -- Are you reading? This is one way to keep the unwashed off your car. Of course, you will need to arrange the batteries in a V-12 configuration to be completely happy.

[Gman]

:electric::electric:

[boxboss]

...was fitted with the KERS device.
:dunno: Keep Everyone Really Shocked? Seriously, what is it?

[Gman]

Kinetic Energy Recovery System

[Gman]

The mechanical KERS system utilises flywheel technology developed by Flybrid Systems to recover and store a moving vehicle’s kinetic energy which is otherwise wasted when the vehicle is decelerated. The energy is received from the driveline through the Torotrak CVT, engineered and supplied by Xtrac, as the vehicle decelerates, and is subsequently released back into the driveline, again through the CVT, as the vehicle accelerates. The FIA has defined the amount of energy recovery for the 2009 season as 400kJ per lap giving the driver an extra 80hp over a period of 6.67 seconds.
Compared to the alternative of electrical-battery systems, the mechanical KERS system provides a significantly more compact, efficient, lighter and environmentally-friendly solution.
The components within each variator include an input disc and an opposing output disc. Each disc is formed so that the gap created between the discs is ‘doughnut’ shaped; that is, the toroidal surfaces on each disc form the toroidal cavity.
Two or three rollers are located inside each toroidal cavity and are positioned so that the outer edge of each roller is in contact with the toroidal surfaces of the input disc and output disc.
As the input disc rotates, power is transferred via the rollers to the output disc, which rotates in the opposite direction to the input disc.
The angle of the roller determines the ratio of the Variator and therefore a change in the angle of the roller results in a change in the ratio. So, with the roller at a small radius (near the centre) on the input disc and at a large radius (near the edge) on the output disc the Variator produces a “low� ratio. Moving the roller across the discs to a large radius at the input disc and corresponding low radius at the output produces the “high� ratio and provides the full ratio sweep in a smooth, continuous manner.
The transfer of power through the contacting surfaces of the discs and rollers takes place via a microscopic film of specially developed long-molecule traction fluid. This fluid separates the rolling surfaces of the discs and rollers at their contact points.
The input and output discs are clamped together within each variator unit. The traction fluid in the contact points between the discs and rollers become highly viscous under this clamping pressure, increasing its ’stickiness’ and creating an efficient mechanism for transferring power between the rotating discs and rollers.

[boxboss]

The mechanical KERS system :blah:
Interesting, but I'm suprised BMW would consider a CVT.

[InsidiousSpeed]

Ozzie -- Are you reading? This is one way to keep the unwashed off your car. Of course, you will need to arrange the batteries in a V-12 configuration to be completely happy.

Correct. Thanks for the advice. I think my 865CSi will need two batteries, just in case if one fails. The finer the automobile, the more the unwashed attacks.