New F1 Tech for Road Cars

Page 3 of 6

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.

Future developments

Some of the new KERS systems under development will be mechanically based and will utilise a flywheel to recuperate, store and subsequently discharge a moving vehicle's kinetic energy, which is otherwise wasted when the vehicle is decelerated. The kinetic energy is stored during a braking manoeuvre and is then released back into the driveline as the vehicle accelerates.

The toroidal traction drive variator, being developed with Torotrak and using Torotrak's patented technology, is a central element in these mechanical flywheel-variator KERS systems as it provides a continuously variable ratio connection between the flywheel and the vehicle driveline, via the vehicle's gearbox. Torotrak has granted a licence to Xtrac to design, manufacture, assemble and distribute components or complete variator systems incorporating Torotrak's technology to its F1 customers.