All change as F1 cars race towards biofuels
Formula 1's plan to move towards biofuels with its latest cars could result in a new tussle because of changes it will bring in engine cooling characteristics.
New rules governing the sport will require the F1 teams to run their engines with a 10% blend of advanced sustainable ethanol. This was originally due to come in next season but has since been put back.
Work has started among the sport’s fuel suppliers to optimise the cooling potential of the biofuel, which has nearly three times the heat of vaporisation as regular fuel and means there is a cooling effect for the incoming charge during the combustion cycle. A cooler intake charge means that engine power will increase.
The F1 engine manufacturers could look to maximise the cooling properties for additional horsepower benefit, or change the overall design and cooling characteristics to run the engine at a different temperature. This could then have a knock-on effect for the car's aerodynamics.
New rules governing the sport will require the F1 teams to run their engines with a 10% blend of advanced sustainable ethanol. This was originally due to come in next season but has since been put back.
Work has started among the sport’s fuel suppliers to optimise the cooling potential of the biofuel, which has nearly three times the heat of vaporisation as regular fuel and means there is a cooling effect for the incoming charge during the combustion cycle. A cooler intake charge means that engine power will increase.
The F1 engine manufacturers could look to maximise the cooling properties for additional horsepower benefit, or change the overall design and cooling characteristics to run the engine at a different temperature. This could then have a knock-on effect for the car's aerodynamics.
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