Chell Instruments donates miniature pressure scanner to become Gold Sponsor of Formula Student team

Gas measurement and control solutions specialist, Chell Instruments, has donated its nanoDAQ-LTS-16 pressure scanner to help BCN eMotorsport develop the aerodynamics of its racing car. Now, student engineers from BCN eMotorsport can gather better and more precise aerodynamic data during the testing of the single-seater racing car.

“When BCN eMotorport contacted us regarding a collaboration to improve their aerodynamic design, we were more than happy to help,” states Jamie Shanahan, Director at Chell Instruments. “Through our Spanish distributor, Rosetta Technology, we were able to provide the measurement technology needed to support them.”

Founded in 2007, BCN eMotorsport is a student racing team from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (known as BarcelonaTech) in Barcelona. BCN eMotorsport became the first Spanish Formula Student team to design and build an electric car in 2011, followed by a driverless car in 2018. In 2022, the team introduced its first ‘fusion’ car, a combination of both models which can be operated with or without a driver.

With a strong track record of success, including 12 competition wins, BCN eMotorsport is hoping to take the capabilities of its latest fusion single-seater racing car (the CAT18x) to the next level in preparation for Formula Student 2026.

By using the nanoDAQ-LTS-16 pressure scanner donated by Chell Instruments, the team can now accurately measure air pressure across components such as the front wing, rear wing, sidepods and floor. This will allow BCN eMotorsport to capture more precise data and ultimately help make better design decisions.

“Having a nanoDAQ-LTS-16 on board has been a massive step forward for our aerodynamic validation on the track,” explains Sabrina Faieta, Team Leader at BCN eMotorpsort. “Chell provided the exact differential pressure range we need to prevent the sensors from saturating, so we can now capture precise aerodynamic data at top speeds.”

As a global supplier of pressure, vacuum and gas flow measurement technology, Chell’s equipment plays a vital role in testing and development projects in industries that include aerospace, pharmaceuticals, energy and motorsport. For over 30 years, Chell’s pressure scanners have been used by racing teams in Moto GP, Formula 1 and other major motorsport competitions to help assess the aerodynamics of their racing vehicles during wind tunnel and on-track testing.

In addition to Rosetta Technology in Spain, Chell works with distributors across the globe to support even more customers with high-precision measurement technology.

“We’re always keen to support ambitious student engineers like the team at BCN eMotorsport,” comments Jamie. “Through our global network of distributors, we hope to continue this support for even more budding racing teams all over the world. Good luck to BCN eMotorsport at Formula Student in July.”