Introduction

INTRODUCTION

The main aim of this project is to design and analyze a working model of continuously
variable transmission system, which can be used efficiently in formula one vehicle. These days,
the field of automobiles is very fast growing that a new technology is evolving every day. It can
be said that the new innovations generally come out either in the view of user friendly type or
increasing the performance and other specifications of the engine.

One such idea is to use the energy that is being wasted in one form or another. The
energy that is being wasted mostly is due to friction. It may be the friction between the tires and
the road or between any internal parts present. The friction between the tires and the road is as
essential as the wastage of friction between the internal parts. There is no alternative to the
friction between the tires and the road. But there is an alternative to save the friction energy
between the internal parts. The next important part after the tires where the friction comes into
action is the brakes. Brakes generally work on the principle of restricting the motion between the
two surfaces and eventually stopping the wheel from moving forward. Here the two surfaces
make use of the friction between the two surfaces.

Heat will be generated in large quantity, and thus brake oil is to be used to maintain the
brake drum at lower temperatures. This heat attracted the concentration of many researchers. The
heat can be converted into any other efficient form. If the heat is converted into electricity, the
losses still retains in the brake drum area. In order to overcome these disadvantages, an
additional arrangement is planned to be attached to the existing system. It is brake regeneration
system. The brake regeneration system in addition to the existing engine forms the hybrid
system.

Hybrid systems are generally three types.

1. Electrical Hybrid System.

2. Mechanical Hybrid System.
3. Hydraulic Hybrid System.

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Introduction

Off these three types of systems the mechanical hybrid system is more advantageous. This
can be supported from the fact that in a mechanical hybrid system, the energy conversion is not
present. The mechanical rotation of the wheels is simply converted into rotations of the flywheel
and thus again re-used to boost up the rotations of the wheel shaft. Thus, in this process the
mechanical energy is not converted into any other form.

But coming to the electrical hybrid system, the energy is first converted into the electrical
energy and then into chemical energy to be stored into the battery. The stored energy from the
battery is again used to be converted into electrical energy and finally into mechanical energy.
Thus a series of energy conversion are being done in electrical system which involves in loss of
energy from one form or other. Due to these energy conversions, the electrical hybrid system is
lagging behind mechanical hybrid system.

The case with hydraulic hybrid system is quite different. It is similar to the mechanical
hybrid system in terms of energy conversions. But the fact that the usage of large amounts
hydraulic fluids for storing the energy is making it more heavy and costly compared to the
mechanical hybrid system. According to all these considerations, mechanical hybrid system
provides the best feature to be installed in the formula- one cars.

The principle of working of the mechanical hybrid system can be briefly explained as the
storage of energy into another component temporarily and re-using it. Here the auxiliary
component being used is the flywheel. Whenever a car needs to slow down, in addition to the
friction brakes being used conventionally, the mechanical hybrid system also comes into action.
The rotations of the vehicle wheel shaft are stored into the flywheel. It is known fact that the
flywheel is used to store energy in the form of inertia and is being used from ages to maintain
inertia in the IC engines. The similar application is found in the mechanical hybrid system. The
rotations of the flywheel are used back by the wheel shaft to get boosted up after the turn or after
slowing down at any obstacle. But it is to be noted that the energy from the flywheel can be used
only before 5-6 seconds after it is first stored into the flywheel This limitation makes the
application of mechanical hybrid system to be used in fast moving cars like race cars and more
specifically the formula-one cars.

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Introduction

The application of the mechanical hybrid system is very easy if the concept of speed-torque
conversion is not considered. But, the high speed rotations of the wheel shaft are to be converted
into high torque to be given to the static flywheel in order to start the rotations. For this purpose a
clutch gear arrangement can be used. But it increases the complexity of the system when
considered from the driver’s point of view. So, an arrangement is decided to be made to make it
easier. The arrangement thought of by the researchers is the Continuously Variable Transmission
system.

A continuously variable transmission system namely the CVT, finds it major applications in
the working of automatic gearing system, and torque-converter in some systems. This system is
being used in the mechanical hybrid system. The main challenge lies in deciding the shape of
CVT from the existing ones, analyzing effect of various forces most likely to occur in the
system, deciding the type of material to be used, and finalizing the best combination of the
engine, design and material to be practically applied in present formula-one cars.

The detailed explanation of the mechanical hybrid system and the CVT are given in the
following sections.

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