Compressed Air Best Practices - October 2008 - (Page 22) | 10/08 Focus Industry AUTOMOTIVE TRANSIT | CLASS ZERO AIR MEASURES RACE CAR PERFORMANCE A series of air bearings keep the track “rotating” on the cushion of compressed air. Nozzles within the air bearings are also able to create an eight-degree angle, which simulates the conditions when taking a turn on the racetrack. Down force is provided by the wind tunnel blowing air on the car. The fan is 22 feet in diameter and is powered by a 5,300 horsepower (hp) motor. The fan is capable of generating winds of over 180 mph. Extremely sensitive pressure sensors (tolerance of ¼ lb.) are able to measure and record the amount of downforce on the car. The static down force is created by the weight of the car and the dynamic down force is created by the resistance of the wind on the different parts of the car. The pressure sensors can measure this "drag" in various track configurations to see how well the car will perform. “Windshear told us they would be testing 4,550-lb. race cars, traveling at 180 mph, into a Hurricane Category 4 headwind, and that they wanted their pressure sensors to measure pressure to the accuracy of ±¼ lb.” said Jim Bruce, Vice President, Eastern Region at Atlas Copco, who supplied the compressed air system. “We knew right then and there that we had to use Class Zero oil-free air compressors to protect the sensors.” Left to Right: Carl Cline (Haas CNC Racing) and Jim Bruce (Atlas Copco) with the on-site oil-free rotary screw compressors at Windshear Inc. 22 www.airbestpractices.com http://www.airbestpractices.com
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