Can someone explain KERS for me?

[mileso]

First I would like to thank all who posted these great articles. Things have changed so much since the mid90's when I essentially stopped watching F1. (I stopped after watching Senna's crash.)
KERS is an interesting concept. I am confused why some teams have it all the time yet Red Bull for instance, has big reliability problems.
Thanks again to all the posters and I hope for some better understanding of KERS.

[Abul3ala2]

KERS is a system that uses the heat of brakes to create electricity, this electricity is stored then in a battery or super-capacitator to be used later to turn an electrical engine that is attached to the main engine, to give a boost of 80BHP for 6 seconds per lap.

Teams that use lithium batteries suffer from the heating of the cells and wear of the batterie, which is a bit lower with a super-capacitator KERS

in 2009 Williams tried to make a fully hydraulic flywheel KERS, but the fuel rules changed the space of the car interior.

[SpliT]

Gary Anderson On How KERS Works:


Martin Brundle - How does KERS Work?

[mileso]

So if I understand it, the KERS charging comes from the electric motor running as a dynamo when braking and creates some drag on the engine ?

[reppo]

No it does not create any drag on the engine. When driver breaks, the energy which would otherwise turn into heat in brakes are now turned into electricity in a dynamo and stored into a battery. The energy is small compared to total energy needed to do the braking. In other words part of the car's kinetic energy is converted into electricity and the rest turns into heat when braking. The same ides is used in some hybrid and electric cars:
Regenerative brake

[mileso]

Thank you guys. That Wikpedia article was very informative!