Plasma aero

[simonrockman]

There was article from New Scientist talks about using plasma strips on planes and cars to replace flaps and rudders.

If they were put on an F1 car you could have a wing which was naturally stalled and unstall it by activating the plasma to attach the lamina flow.

Would this be legal under F1 rules?

It should be. It would look very cool at Singapore.

Simon

[simonrockman]

here is a link, you may need a subscription to view it.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21729071.900

[Scuffers]

something similar was tried before on the front wings, but the costs were phenomenal (even by F1 standards) and at the time, the effects were not that great.

trying to remember what it was called and who tried it, I also seem to remember the FIA too a dim view to it...

[hairykrishna]

Seriously interesting concept which I've never encountered before. I suspect the FIA would swiftly classify it as a 'movable aerodynamic device' though.

[RealSquirrels]

cool.

http://etd.nd.edu/ETD-db/theses/available/etd-0417...

interesting stuff, by turning on the actuator you can reattach flow to a stalled wing, and that thesis says:

"It resulted in a L improvement of as much as 340%."

which is pretty amazing.

of course it's not a movable aerodynamic device, but then neither was a mass damper...

[simonrockman]

They will redefine it as not "moveable" aerodynamics but "active" aerodynamics. banning it would be a shame as this is just the kind of pioneering things motorsport should do.

Of course if Ferrari do it first it won't get banned

[aycee]

RealSquirrels said:

cool.

http://etd.nd.edu/ETD-db/theses/available/etd-0417...

I want this chap to come and play with my race car!!!!!!..

[DanielSan]

Would this not be defined as active aero? Which I'm fairly sure is already banned anyway. Interesting concept though, from what I could understand

[dafeller]

aycee said:

Not only do the plasma actuators act like regular flaps/slats, but

Eliminating the hinge gaps will have a direct effect on the form drag component of the viscous drag on the wing. By present estimates used in the wing and tail design, this
would result in a 10% drag decrease[16]. T

[simonrockman]

Isn't it the job of F1 to be experimental?

[RobGT81]

simonrockman said:

Isn't it the job of F1 to be experimental?

Not for a while, thats the job of WEC now