2014 Engine yin yang

[munudeges]

To detect a fuel-line after the measuring device that xpands a few percentages to hide a 50 Hp boost for a second or two?

I think not, if the FIA is impotent enough to allow the flapping Red Bulls they will surely not find an antidote for this.

You only need to think of how a queuing system works. All bets are off after the fuel flow measure. Having thought about it a little it's not hard to imagine that this is going to be a heck of an area of development and investigation.

[xpensive]

To detect a fuel-line after the measuring device that xpands a few percentages to hide a 50 Hp boost for a second or two?

I think not, if the FIA is impotent enough to allow the flapping Red Bulls they will surely not find an antidote for this.

You only need to think of how a queuing system works. All bets are off after the fuel flow measure. Having thought about it a little it's not hard to imagine that this is going to be a heck of an area of development and investigation.

I find it more than obvious that a lot of attention is given to what will happen to the fuel-flow after that measuring device.

[munudeges]

I said 'development and attention', but it'll be more like 'abuse'. I just think this new engine formula is going to be a joke. I don't mind new engines, ideas and development.....just not like this.

[xpensive]

I believe 2014 will be a lot of debate around both momentary flow and energy-content of the fuel entering the engine.

[MOWOG]

So....another season where actual DRIVING takes a back seat to technical mumbo jumbo. Ooohhh, I can scarcely wait.....

[timbo]

So....another season where actual DRIVING takes a back seat to technical mumbo jumbo.

It is inevitable unless you watch a single-maker formula. However, next year can probably show another dimension of racecraft of drivers with fixed ratios and virtually no rev-limited max-speed on most tracks.

[Suzycreamcheese]

I understand you cant store the fuel in the tanks chilled 10C below ambient. But is there any practical reason why it wouldn't work, or anything in the regulations that would prevent you from running a heat pump and chilling the fuel (similar to a water chiller) just before the fuel flow meter?

[WhiteBlue]

I understand you cant store the fuel in the tanks chilled 10C below ambient. But is there any practical reason why it wouldn't work, or anything in the regulations that would prevent you from running a heat pump and chilling the fuel (similar to a water chiller) just before the fuel flow meter?

You cannot run a Rankine type cycle for cooling purposes. That is not allowed.

[GitanesBlondes]

So....another season where actual DRIVING takes a back seat to technical mumbo jumbo.

It is inevitable unless you watch a single-maker formula. However, next year can probably show another dimension of racecraft of drivers with fixed ratios and virtually no rev-limited max-speed on most tracks.

2014's formula is going to be duller than anyone realizes, once it becomes obvious that there is little to set apart any of the engine manufacturers barring some significant advantage found in a loophole.

A pity as the formula could have been so much better than what it has turned into already.

[wuzak]

I understand you cant store the fuel in the tanks chilled 10C below ambient. But is there any practical reason why it wouldn't work, or anything in the regulations that would prevent you from running a heat pump and chilling the fuel (similar to a water chiller) just before the fuel flow meter?

They are not allowed to chill the fuel.

The allowable difference between fuel temp and ambient temp is to account for the heating the fuel receieves in the tank from being in close proximity to the engine.

In any case, heat pumps require energy to run.

And if the FIA fuel flow meter truly measures mass flow rate, cooling or heating the fuel will not matter.

[rjsa]

To my knowledge the only way to measure mass flow is multiplying volume flow by density. Is my knowledge obsolete?

[WhiteBlue]

There are different ways to skin a rabbit. The common denominator is that the hair has to come off.

Similar thing here with mass flow. You need to have all relevant parameters coherently measured and referenced to be accurate.

[xpensive]

...
2014's formula is going to be duller than anyone realizes, once it becomes obvious that there is little to set apart any of the engine manufacturers barring some significant advantage found in a loophole.

A pity as the formula could have been so much better than what it has turned into already.

Don't you worry GB, the off-track action action will be more hysterical than ever, magic fuels and hidden fuel-line buffers,
not to mention innuendos about miss-calibrated metering-units and even tampering of the same, CW will be busy!

[aussiegman]

The sensor is monitoring what is sent to the injectors...it could be a long way to the injectors, as x has pointed out.

Yep, its a long way. The easiest way is to mandate the size and material used for the line from the sensor to the injector(s) but as I see it there currently is nothing in the regs covering this.

To my knowledge the only way to measure mass flow is multiplying volume flow by density. Is my knowledge obsolete?

The Gill fuel flow sensor is an ultrasonic unit (as I am sure most know) that according to specs, is capable of measuring flow rate from 0.5ml/min to 6500ml/min in real time, including a bi-directional fuel flow situations with an accuracy of 0.3%.

As per Racecer Engineering article, the sensor sends an ultrasonic wave across a tube of a known diameter. If there is zero flow the time taken for the wave to travel from one end to the other will be the reference time. However when there is flow, in either direction, there will be a timing difference and this difference changes with the flow rate. So, if you add temperature correction and the known properties of the fuel then you can accurately measure the flow.

So yep, you will need to know the specifics of the fuel and adjust for temperature.

[dren]

Looks like they may operate at 500hz? It'd be interesting to see the calibration curve and if it's linear over the full range.