Shortly after Tesla revealed its second-generation Roadster in 2017, CEO Elon Musk teased that the automobile might be fitted with rocket thrusters to boost efficiency.
Whereas there isn’t any indication Tesla is definitely engaged on such a system, The Drive lately realized that Ferrari has designed a system utilizing thrusters to boost efficiency of a highway car (each vehicles and bikes), and has filed a patent for the system.
A search of america Patent and Logos Workplace reveals that Ferrari has no less than two patents for the thruster system, each of them filed on Dec. 23, 2019.
In its patents, Ferrari refers back to the thrusters as “pushers,” and describes two sorts. One makes use of compressed air saved in a tank on board the car, whereas one other makes use of small pulse jets powered by the identical gasoline powering the automobile’s common engine. The thought is that the heart beat jets could be used when there’s inadequate compressed air, which by the way must be saved at 10,000-13,000 psi, in accordance with the patents. The patents describe utilizing recovered brake vitality or an exterior supply to high up the air tank.
Design of gasoline thrusters in Ferrari patent
Included diagrams present the thrusters mounted on the entrance and rear of the car, in addition to on its roof and underbody, and on both sides. The patents point out the thrusters can be utilized to help acceleration, but additionally assist stabilize a car in an emergency scenario, as an example in an uncontrolled slide or spin. They’ll additionally assist decelerate the car if used on the entrance, in accordance with the patents.
One other risk is utilizing the thrusters to help dealing with on the monitor. The thruster on the roof will push the car to the highway floor, boosting grip. Equally, the thruster beneath the car might be positioned to create a floor impact, and thus additionally enhance downforce.
In Ferrari’s patents, every thruster is definitely made up of 5 nozzles of assorted dimension. Such a design means a constant strain might be delivered because the compressed air begins for use up and the strain contained in the tank decreases. The small nozzle is used when the tank is full and progressively bigger nozzles are used because the air begins to deplete.
Whereas patents are definitely no indication of manufacturing intent, it is attention-grabbing Ferrari engineers have investigated the concept of utilizing thrusters to boost efficiency and seem to have designed a system that sounds much more believable than strapping rockets to a automobile.