Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems, or KERS, become optional for 2009. Such systems take waste energy from the car's braking process, store it and then reuse it to temporarily boost engine power. This and the following diagram show the typical placement of the main components at the base of the fuel tank, and illustrate the system's basic functionality - a charging phase and a boost phase. In the charging phase, kinetic energy from the rear brakes (1) is captured by an electric alternator/motor (2), controlled by a central processing unit (CPU) (3), which then charges the batteries (4).
In the boost phase, the electric alternator/motor gives the stored energy back to the engine in a continuous stream when the driver presses a boost button on the steering wheel. This energy equates to around 80 horsepower and may be used for up to 6.6 seconds per lap. The location of the main KERS components at the base of the fuel tank reduces fuel capacity (typically 90-100kg in 2008) 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. Mechanical KERS, as opposed to the electrical KERS illustrated here, work on the same principle, but use a flywheel to store and re-use the waste energy
souce F1.com
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