Chell Instruments, a world leader in gas measurement and control solutions, has donated its latest pressure scanner to a Hungarian University’s Formula Student Electric team to support its vehicle development. Having received the latest nanoDAQ-LTS-16 and quick-start cable FOC from Chell Instruments, students from the
Széchenyi István University’s Arrabona Racing Team, can now gather precise aerodynamics data during on-track testing.
Jamie Shanahan, director at Chell Instruments, said: “The Arrabona Racing Team are an exceptional group of aspiring engineers, with a proven track record in Formula Student racing and vehicle design. When we learned of its ambition to transition to Formula Electric and the aerodynamic challenges it would face in developing a new electric vehicle (EV), we were excited to provide the technology to help drive the design forward.”
Since its foundation in 2014, Arrabona Racing Team has built 11 race cars and has achieved various podium finishes in races and competitions. It delivered an outstanding performance during the 2023/24 season, securing third place at the FS Austria competition, first place at FS East and took home a total of 13 awards.
Performance monitoring and data acquisitionAfter last year’s successful season, the university team made the decision to pursue its next challenge in the electric category. Developing a new Formula-style EV would require a range of advanced sensors and scanners to support performance monitoring and data acquisition.
By utilising a lightweight nanoDAQ-LTS-16 pressure scanner from Chell Instruments, Arrabona Racing Team will be able to obtain real-world data during on-track testing. With better insights on the flow of air around the car, enhancements can be made across components such as the front wing, rear wing, sidepods and under tray.
László Szörényi, a member of the aerodynamics department at Arrabona Racing Team, said: “Aerodynamics play a crucial role in the development phase and it is vital to test and validate our design! Our transition into Formula Electric required a lot of financial resources, so the team was delighted to hear that Chell Instruments was prepared to support us with its latest pressure scanner.”
For over 40 years, Chell Instruments have been supplying providing pressure, vacuum and gas flow measurement equipment. Its products serve a wide range of industries, including aerospace, pharmaceuticals, energy, and motorsport. Chell‘s technology plays a crucial role in aerodynamic testing for leading Formula One teams, enabling engineers to analyse vehicle properties, refine performance, reduce drag and increase down force in their race-winning cars.
Mr Shanahan concluded: “At Chell, we are passionate about supporting the next generation of engineers, and we are looking forward to see Széchenyi István University’s Formula Electric Team harness our nanoDAQ-LTS-16 to build a ‘state of the art’ electric race car.”