Pre-cooling devices
We have tested pre cooling devices (peltiers) and this is what we have found.
This assumes that the motor is cooled long enough to get down to 0 degs Celcius, before a race ...
It is usually about 2 minutes between removing the cooling device and placing the car on the track having fitted bodyshell and walked to the rostrum etc. Then ideally you must run about 1/2 a lap to check the car and trims and get the driver ready etc.
(Please note that during the initial running the brushes suffer excess wear due to condensation on the comm)
Approxiamtely another 1/2 minute has to be used waiting for the race start. During this time, a typically 2 or 3 minute total period and a short run, the motor is rising in temperature and at the start of the race will have risen to about 10 degs (assuming normal ambient temp of 20C)
Due to the fact that there is a bigger temperature difference between the motor and surrounding air temperature, compared to a non pre-cooled motor, the motor's temperature rises more quickly.
At around the 3 minute mark the motors temperature rises above that of a TCS cooled motor. By the end of the race the motor temperature will be 5 to 10 degs lower than a completely un cooled motor. Although about 10 degs hotter than a TCS cooled motor.
Using TCS will lower your motors temperature between 15 and 30 degs
Of course you could use a TCS, fans and a peltier in combination, but if you had to choose a single item for maximum performance the TCS does out perform all of the other devices.
The TCS is also pleasing and effective to work with because you don't have to keep fitting and removing the device. Once TCS is installed it just gets on with its job. With a TCS installed the motor temperature is also much more constant and therefore a good setup is easier to achieve and the motor feels the same throughout the race, with no fading.
Richard Weatherley
TCS
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