Optimum racing engine.
Optimum racing engine.
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vexed

Original Poster:

401 posts

200 months

Sunday 14th April 2013
quotequote all
I was wondering earlier if F1 had no regulation on engines except they needed to be petrol internal combustion engines which lasted a couple of races- what would the teams use? What would the displacements get up to before weight started to outweigh the usable power?
Presumably forced induction. Other tricks such as water sprays, anti-lag so turbos are always on boost??
They would also be allowed bigger, slick tyres...



It would be fascinating to know what technology which is outlawed currently would make it onto the ultimately quick (but presumably very dangerous) F1 machines.

DanGPR

991 posts

200 months

Sunday 14th April 2013
quotequote all
Adrian Newey is arguably the best designer/engineer in the F1 pits.

Here's his idea of the "ultimate" racing machine.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Bull_X2010

talksthetalk

10,821 posts

164 months

Sunday 14th April 2013
quotequote all
Great wiki article/ piece of fun.
If there were no limitations, how come they needed to upgrade it a year later?
Even the land of makebelieve gets repeat customers.

m444ttb

3,183 posts

258 months

Sunday 14th April 2013
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I'd guess that if left unchecked since the 60's aside from the safety aspect then the driver would have been the greatest limiting factor for quite some time now. Rather than there beig a question of a competitor making a mistake it would probably be blacking out while cornering or similar! If speeds were that highly you can only imagine what would happen when it all comes unstuck!

davepoth

29,395 posts

228 months

Sunday 14th April 2013
quotequote all
No restrictions and limited mileage suggests to me that wankel may be the way to go.

Benrad

656 posts

178 months

Sunday 14th April 2013
quotequote all
davepoth said:
No restrictions and limited mileage suggests to me that wankel may be the way to go.
You'd have to carry too much fuel.

We'd see much lighter engines made of very exotic materials, revving much much higher.

Also active ground effects would be a given

anonymous-user

83 months

Sunday 14th April 2013
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The question is paradoxical though. If there were no rules how could they know what to develop to beat others? Therefore I think they would make a W24 with 8 turbos and 2 superchargers, and hope that it's enough hehe

But seriously, I don't think they would choose a forced induction engine given the choice. Maybe they would go for a flat configuration to lower CoG? But that makes for a wider engine, which widens the body and will begin to hinder the aerodynamic options.

My vote would be a 22000 RPM V12 like the good old days. But camless with full electronic control of the inlet and exhaust valve timing with variable valve lift.

ETA: Forgot about fuel. Surely they would choose diesel?

Edited by RenOHH on Sunday 14th April 21:33

wolves_wanderer

12,950 posts

266 months

Sunday 14th April 2013
quotequote all
Benrad said:
davepoth said:
No restrictions and limited mileage suggests to me that wankel may be the way to go.
You'd have to carry too much fuel.
Interestingly enough, one of the key factors in the 787 winning Le Mans was it's fuel economy nerd

davepoth

29,395 posts

228 months

Sunday 14th April 2013
quotequote all
Benrad said:
davepoth said:
No restrictions and limited mileage suggests to me that wankel may be the way to go.
You'd have to carry too much fuel.
I'm not sure you would. There's a reason rotary engines aren't allowed in most racing formulas.

Tango13

10,047 posts

205 months

Sunday 14th April 2013
quotequote all
Any form of reciprocating engine including a wankel would be outclassed by a correctly installed gas turbine engine. Much more reliable and fuel efficient, an engine approx 2ft in diameter and a little under 4ft in length can generate in excess of 2,000shp!

Air could also be bled from the compressor stages to activate an underbody diffusser or used as boundry layer control on any wings as well. Side pods for radiators wouldn't be needed either making the car a bit cleaner aerodynamically.

JPBailey

126 posts

255 months

Sunday 14th April 2013
quotequote all
Tango13 said:
Any form of reciprocating engine including a wankel would be outclassed by a correctly installed gas turbine engine. Much more reliable and fuel efficient, an engine approx 2ft in diameter and a little under 4ft in length can generate in excess of 2,000shp!

Air could also be bled from the compressor stages to activate an underbody diffusser or used as boundry layer control on any wings as well. Side pods for radiators wouldn't be needed either making the car a bit cleaner aerodynamically.
Can you get decent throttle response from a gas turbine now? When they had been used previously then the drivers hated then as you had to guess how much throttle you needed in a seconds time rather than being able to adjust the car's balance on the throttle and get an instant reaction.

Given that you could get 1400hp out of a 1.5 litre turbo 25 years ago then a small 1.5 to 2 litre turbo seems reasonable as a future ultimate engine.
It would be in line or a 90 degree V dependant on packaging needs. Flat engines create a higher CoG than wide Vs as you have to get either induction or exhaust gubbins under the cylinder head which lifts the whole crank case (and CoG) on a flat engine.



Edited by JPBailey on Sunday 14th April 23:21

anonymous-user

83 months

Monday 15th April 2013
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Turbine powered hybrid with regen braking

Hear me out...

Constant torque, responsive, loads of power, turbines are tiny so weight can be offset against a regular engine, less fuel use so less fuel carried and less change in weight - easier to set car up.

Possibly :-)

RealSquirrels

11,327 posts

221 months

Monday 15th April 2013
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i think you are right, a turbine generator and electric motors. 4wd without the weight of a drivetrain.

Life Saab Itch

37,069 posts

217 months

Monday 15th April 2013
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or a turbine and CVT.

cheap, reliable, mega power.

Tango13

10,047 posts

205 months

Monday 15th April 2013
quotequote all
JPBailey said:
Can you get decent throttle response from a gas turbine now? When they had been used previously then the drivers hated then as you had to guess how much throttle you needed in a seconds time rather than being able to adjust the car's balance on the throttle and get an instant reaction.

Given that you could get 1400hp out of a 1.5 litre turbo 25 years ago then a small 1.5 to 2 litre turbo seems reasonable as a future ultimate engine.
It would be in line or a 90 degree V dependant on packaging needs. Flat engines create a higher CoG than wide Vs as you have to get either induction or exhaust gubbins under the cylinder head which lifts the whole crank case (and CoG) on a flat engine.



Edited by JPBailey on Sunday 14th April 23:21
As others have posted, use the turbine as an electrical generator or use the turbine to power one large hydraulic pump to drive individual hydraulic pumps on each wheel. Either method would allow the turbine to run at a constant speed saving wear and fuel.

The 1.5 litre turbo engines could generate 1400bhp but only for three laps, the out lap, the hot lap and the in lap, they raced at about 900-1000bhp.

They also used some very exotic and expensively blended fuels while a turbine will use parafin.

The 1.5 litre turbo engines would be little more than junk after 70 odd laps while the turbine will go for 3,500hrs between overhauls, around 100,000 racing laps!

anonymous-user

83 months

Monday 15th April 2013
quotequote all
Tango13 said:
JPBailey said:
Can you get decent throttle response from a gas turbine now? When they had been used previously then the drivers hated then as you had to guess how much throttle you needed in a seconds time rather than being able to adjust the car's balance on the throttle and get an instant reaction.

Given that you could get 1400hp out of a 1.5 litre turbo 25 years ago then a small 1.5 to 2 litre turbo seems reasonable as a future ultimate engine.
It would be in line or a 90 degree V dependant on packaging needs. Flat engines create a higher CoG than wide Vs as you have to get either induction or exhaust gubbins under the cylinder head which lifts the whole crank case (and CoG) on a flat engine.



Edited by anonymous-user on Sunday 14th April 23:21
As others have posted, use the turbine as an electrical generator or use the turbine to power one large hydraulic pump to drive individual hydraulic pumps on each wheel. Either method would allow the turbine to run at a constant speed saving wear and fuel.

The 1.5 litre turbo engines could generate 1400bhp but only for three laps, the out lap, the hot lap and the in lap, they raced at about 900-1000bhp.

They also used some very exotic and expensively blended fuels while a turbine will use parafin.

The 1.5 litre turbo engines would be little more than junk after 70 odd laps while the turbine will go for 3,500hrs between overhauls, around 100,000 racing laps!
The original question:


"I was wondering earlier if F1 had no regulation on engines except they needed to be petrol internal combustion engines which lasted a couple of races- what would the teams use?"


Do you guys hope to work for Mclaren? wink

Tango13

10,047 posts

205 months

Monday 15th April 2013
quotequote all
REALIST123 said:
The original question:


"I was wondering earlier if F1 had no regulation on engines except they needed to be petrol internal combustion engines which lasted a couple of races- what would the teams use?"


Do you guys hope to work for Mclaren? wink
You can run a turbine on petrol and the combustion would still be taking place inside an engine wink



anonymous-user

83 months

Tuesday 16th April 2013
quotequote all
Tango13 said:
REALIST123 said:
The original question:


"I was wondering earlier if F1 had no regulation on engines except they needed to be petrol internal combustion engines which lasted a couple of races- what would the teams use?"


Do you guys hope to work for Mclaren? wink
You can run a turbine on petrol and the combustion would still be taking place inside an engine wink
But they were talking about gas turbines, paraffin, electrical generators and hydraulic pumps.......

talksthetalk

10,821 posts

164 months

Tuesday 16th April 2013
quotequote all
REALIST123 said:
Tango13 said:
REALIST123 said:
The original question:


"I was wondering earlier if F1 had no regulation on engines except they needed to be petrol internal combustion engines which lasted a couple of races- what would the teams use?"


Do you guys hope to work for Mclaren? wink
You can run a turbine on petrol and the combustion would still be taking place inside an engine wink
But they were talking about gas turbines, paraffin, electrical generators and hydraulic pumps.......
but F1 is about pushing the boundaries of the rules judge

rev-erend

21,619 posts

313 months

Tuesday 16th April 2013
quotequote all
Would the human behind the wheel be the weak link in this ?

Blacking out under acceleration and lateral G ?