Powerboat P1 embracing cutting edge technology

by Powerboat P1 on 13 Mar 2010 Powerboat P1 Management has today announced the launch of its highly anticipated torque sensor project which has been heralded as one of the most important technological developments in powerboat racing to date.

Starting from the opening race of the 2010 season in Yalta, Ukraine, the entire world championship racing fleet will be using customised Powerboat P1 torque sensors produced by market leader ABB in Sweden.

The cutting edge technology, already successfully used in Formula 1 motor racing, is being used for the first time in a powerboat racing competition.

The advanced engine power output monitoring system is designed to police discrepancies associated with the power-to-weight ratio of the competing boats, as well as providing the Powerboat P1 technical team with real-time engine power monitoring.

Powerboat P1 Chief Operating Officer, Robert Wicks, said: 'This is a breakthrough for the whole sport and it’s good to know that Powerboat P1 has been the first to introduce this technology. It’s been a considerable investment on our part but something which we have felt is absolutely necessary to ensure parity in the field of competition.'

Renowned for producing some of the most robust power and automation systems available on the market, ABB represents unbeatable accuracy and dependable torque measurement in demanding environments.

Sergio Castagna, Torque Sensor Manager for ABB, said: 'The robust and durable design of the device ensures reliable and continuous real-time torque measurement at all times. This will act as an aid for racers, where they can optimise the power without exceeding the limits.

'Working with Powerboat P1 has given us the opportunity to once again prove the capability of our sensor technology. Through close co-operation with Powerboat P1, we have managed to design a sensor for a totally new application. We will be following this year's championship with great interest.'

Discussions regarding the adoption of a torque sensor to monitor engine power output began in early 2009 before a decision was made to commission ABB to build an initial prototype designed by Powerboat P1’s powertrain consultant, David Wood. This prototype went through extensive testing in the second half of the 2009 season ahead of the full production run.

Wood believes the Powerboat P1 ABB torque sensors represent a 'major step in the right direction' for the championship. Following positive initial responses from the teams to Powerboat P1’s latest technical initiative, Wood is looking forward to ensuring this season’s racing has the highest level of parity to date and is more exciting than ever. He said: 'During the last two Championship seasons, the DPO (Designated Power Output) of the engines was monitored by recording a number of critical engine parameters in order to ensure that they did not exceed data gathered in the mandatory, pre-season engine tests.

'This process and the data gathered were used to establish each boat’s DPO, and although rigorously monitored throughout the seasons by the Championship’s Technical Compliance Committee (TCC), the system needed enhancing and improving to ensure there were no possible loopholes or discrepancies.'

Each powerboat will carry two Powerboat P1 ABB torque sensors, one on each engine, fitted between the engine power take off unit and the drive shaft to the stern drive. Using standard SAE1410 flange couplings with the torque sensors stainless steel construction sealed to MIL-SPEC standards, the ABB torque sensor incorporates both torque and speed measurement.

The component’s torque module, measuring only 102mm long, carries a total capacity of ±2000Nm and a maximum yield torque of ±4300Nm. Using the current 2009 Powerboat P1 Race Technology data logger, the Powerboat P1 ABB torque sensor comes with a three-year design life and guarantees accurate readings within ±1% of its total scale reading.

Data will be available to the teams after it has been downloaded from the Race Technology data logger with teams able to obtain the power output of their engines during each race.

Built to be maintenance free for the whole season, the torque sensors will be randomly selected for inspection and calibration checks during the events.

The Yalta Grand Prix of the Sea, in Ukraine will launch the 2010 World Championship on May 7-9.

http://www.powerboatp1.com