Regenerative Braking Experimental Tests and Results for Formula Student Car

In this paper, the tuning process of a regenerative braking system for a full electric Formula Student car is reported. Experimental results will be discussed and recovered energy will be measured. In order to obtain the best tuning some preliminary requirements have been decided: no-slip motion of traction wheels during braking phase, no over current and over voltage of Li-ion cells and the best feeling from the braking pedal for the driver. The main target of the regenerative braking system is to obtain the maximum recovered energy during the Endurance event in a typical Formula Student Competition (FS Germany, Hockenheim ring). First, an accurate estimation of the admissible braking torques with the tires used was carried out, starting from the magic formula of Pacejka of the tires. The maximum electric braking torque that the installed engine can provide at various speeds was then estimated, compatibly with the charging currents allowed by the storage system. Subsequently, a mechanical regulating device for regenerative braking was designed and described here, installed directly on the gear lever system that connects the brake pedal to the brake pumps. The proposed system is able to appropriately delay the entry into action of the hydraulic brake pumps and this delay is mechanically adjustable by acting on threaded pins. In this way, the interval of actuation of the brake pedal which activates only the electric braking can be adjusted and tuned. Finally, the overall project was tested on the track, in order to validate the hypotheses previously calculated and determine the setting capable of optimizing the energy recovered during a test equivalent to the Endurance event, compatibly with the constraints of the installed systems on board.