Daikin, the world's largest manufacturer of air conditioning equipment is proud to be an active sponsor of the ThrustSSC supersonic car programme. Since the ThrustSSC car is run at high speed only on arid desert lake beds, the need for reliable and dependable air conditioning is paramount.
Through their largest UK distributor Space Air, Daikin have provided air-conditioning resource for the communications Pit Trailer and for the ThrustSSC car itself.
The Pits Trailer is the operational centre for the project providing the essential communications and data processing centre which not only receives the telemetry data from the ThrustSSC car, but also acts as the control tower to provide a communications centre running 7 frequencies on Black Rock for management of the car, desert security and airborne operations. It is also the centre for the Internet web site activity, where daily reports and photos are put up on the web site via satellite link. The 1000 page site is now being visited by 400,000 a day from 100 countries making it one of the most successful event site ever.
The Pit Trailer is constantly manned throughout the day and night and during development runs in Jordan the local temperatures reached in excess of 45C. Air-conditioning of this critical vehicle unit was carried out by Space Air using Daikin MA-MultiSplit units - and during the two operations in Jordan and the current programme on Black Rock, the units have run continuously without problem.
Another major problem solved by Daikin is the air conditioning of the ThrustSSC car itself. Although there is insufficient space or weight capacity for an installed unit, the problem was solved by using two Daikin Satellite Split units specially adapted by Space Air, each mounted on a ThrustSSC transportation dolly and thus able to provide air-conditioning via a 20ft trunking to the ThrustSSC cockpit and the electronics bay. The arrangement thus enables the ThrustSSC car to be air-conditioned at each end of the 13 mile course.
Said Driver Andy Green: "We are indebted to Daikin for their help in air-conditioning the ThrustSSC cockpit. I sit between two huge Rolls-Royce Spey afterburning turbofan jet engines - and I can tell you we need the cockpit cooling."
Daikin joined the project as a sponsor in August 1997, making a major contribution to the project's drive for funding for the US Black Rock Campaign, where ThrustSSC is currently racing against the US Spirit of America team for the World Land Speed Record and for the first ever supersonic record.
Said Project Director Richard Noble, current holder of the World Land Speed Record at 633.468mph: "With over 12 million following the project on the Internet and television coverage from more than 20 crews, the battle for Mach 1 is likely to be one of the greatest electronic media events of our time. But it's not the sort of event for a feint-hearted sponsor. We are delighted to welcome Daikin and we are so grateful for their support, which started at an early stage of the project. It's a brilliant sponsorship for a company with the global brand associated with high technology operation in high ambient temperatures!"
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