Lotus E20 VD

[bhall]

I stand by my original theory, duct to diffuser when DRS is closed, duct to beam wing when open,

There's no reason to vent to the diffuser. Increased air flow over the diffuser will not create more downforce, and there are far simpler ways to direct air to the starter motor hole.

There's also no reason for to have a duct from the airbox scoops attached directly to the main plane if DRS only serves as a fluidic valve. That's a very needless disruption of air flow along the back of the wing, which is precisely where downforce is made.

The W03 uses DRS as a fluidic valve for the front wing via ducts that are completely within the end plates. It can do this because the front wing slots are actually fed from a scoop on the chassis.

[nacho]

Did anyone see the wing with DRS activated? I tried to search on the FP videos but couldn't see a single occasion that KR activated the DRS.

[godlameroso]

Looks like they're using the radiator exit, and feeding it air from the ducts in the air box, at high speed this hot air is accelerated by the ducts in the airbox, and the hot radiator air converges with the vortex up-wash of the diffuser/beam wing combo, strengthening the flow behind the car. It's a clever way to work the beam wing and diffuser, and allows one to run less rear wing. The ducts probably work in conjunction with the DRS in the hopes of shedding even more drag, and probably partially stalls the rear wing to minimize drag in normal running. (This is probably what that radio transmission was about) This is all afforded by a more efficient floor/beam wing. Just a thought.

[RB7ate9]

Scarbs is for sure one of the best ones for this job, but he is human.He can make mistake just as every one of us can.No?

It is not reflection.There must be a PERFECT source of light on the other side.IT IS A HOLE.

..that is quite clearly a reflection - from the silver piece running above it. you can even see the outline of that silver bit and the curve is a perfect....reflection....of the bit you've circled.

Thank you for the clarification. I had literally spent the last 5 pages thinking about that hole. *ahem*

As for the purpose of this setup, I'm going to have to agree with Nick. The name of the game this year has been rear downforce. With everyone else working on reclaiming EBD, Lotus have not done anything with their exhaust (or at least that I've noticed) and so must be on a different tack. It makes sense to try and get more effort from the diffuser.

[PhillipM]

To be honest, I think it's as simple as DRS off > High pressure on wing plates = air from scoops goes through hole to vent in middle of monkey seat to draw out hot air from cooling.
DRS on, pressure drops on wing, flow diverts upwards to slit in main plain to blow the wing = better DRS.

Now, I think the side vents (I think they are holes, not reflections, maybe proved wrong, doesn't really matter, switching can be done via the wing/beam wing combo)) are part of the switching mechanism for that, which isn't dialled in yet, which would be why Raikonen would be complaining of a loss of low-speed downforce - the wing is being blown when the pressure on the front main plane drops in the slower corners, obviously they don't quite have the balance right, even with the monkey seat designed to create low pressure behind the lower exit?

[Forza]

Few more pictures of E20 testing the new drs duct solution

[rscsr]

Few more pictures of E20 testing the new drs duct solution
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To be honest, I think it's as simple as DRS off > High pressure on wing plates = air from scoops goes through hole to vent in middle of monkey seat to draw out hot air from cooling.
DRS on, pressure drops on wing, flow diverts upwards to slit in main plain to blow the wing = better DRS.

Now, I think the side vents (I think they are holes, not reflections, maybe proved wrong, doesn't really matter, switching can be done via the wing/beam wing combo)) are part of the switching mechanism for that, which isn't dialled in yet, which would be why Raikonen would be complaining of a loss of low-speed downforce - the wing is being blown when the pressure on the front main plane drops in the slower corners, obviously they don't quite have the balance right, even with the monkey seat designed to create low pressure behind the lower exit?

Well, the picture shows cleary that there is no hole, as you can't paint over it.
But where to get the pressure from the rear wing? End plates won't work, as the Lotus' are using a 3-element-foil in the side plate area (the aluminum part)?

[mike]

a vertical central slit in under the "T" of the lotus??

[Kiril Varbanov]

Good morning everyone, I got kinda mixed up about what exactly we're talking here.
I'm offering something to talk about:


And a really close rear wing shot:


Even better image: http://f1zoom.fx1.nl/?year=2012&race=ge ... 542&full=1

[Timstr]

Hi all,
Could this be about influencing internal aerodynamics?
The fluidic switch could be turning internal flow on (high drag) and off (low drag).

DRS inactive (default) >> higher internal mass flow for better cooling >> higher internal drag and thus higher overall drag
DRS active >> lower internal air mass flow >> less internal drag and thus less overall drag.

[rscsr]

a vertical central slit in under the "T" of the lotus??

I'd say that this isn't possible, as there is the Slot Gap Seperator and you'd be able to tell from this photo:

edit (12:22): wrong picture: (http://www.formula1.com/wi/sutton/2012/d12ger604.jpg) before


Much more possible would be a horizontal slit at the end of the main plate. This would almost always be in the shadow and therefore not really easy to see. But this is only a guess, like everything we do here.

Good morning everyone, I got kinda mixed up about what exactly we're talking here.
I'm offering something to talk about:


And a really close rear wing shot:


Even better image: http://f1zoom.fx1.nl/?year=2012&race=ge ... 542&full=1

A slot on the hole span of the main plate wouldn't be allowed. And it wouldn't really be to switchable, as you would only be able to get air from the "endplates", which are in the case of Lotus a 3-element-foil made from Aluminum (or Titanium maybe?).
I also think, that the green ducting in your picture isn't the main air flow, as it would need to pass through or besides the transmission, and neither the case nor the bodywork is looking to bulky, as it is recognisable in the following picture.

Hi all,
Could this be about influencing internal aerodynamics?
The fluidic switch could be turning internal flow on (high drag) and off (low drag).

DRS inactive (default) >> higher internal mass flow for better cooling >> higher internal drag and thus higher overall drag
DRS active >> lower internal air mass flow (lower cooling requirements) >> less internal drag and thus less overall drag.

At first, I also thought about some Merc DDRS system, but now I would say, that this has much more to do with being able to feed the main plate somehow with Airflow to increase the DF on the rear wing, like blowing from the main plane tangential to the upper element to boost DF in "low speed".

[MarkedOne8]

I must say that there are no hles on endplates.Yes, I thought there is hole in the endplate by the main profile, but it is just a stupid reflection.

Looks like it's not just a simple DRS open/close switch in the midle of the RW.There are some lower parts.Maybe they are closing/opening that tube for air.

[mike]

There's no reason to create that mess if the goal is just to send air to the diffuser. You'd simply route it from the airbox scoops to the beam wing to the endplates to the diffuser. Otherwise, you leave the underside of the main plane alone at all costs, because that's where downforce comes from.

I think they're venting the air through a slot on top of the main plane. That's perfectly legal.

blown macca rear wing with flow vis, I think it could be the middle slit as the color is less apparent at the middle area
if you look closely the triangle it creates is also disjointed from the top profile meaning its only working when DRS is open, making any sense???

edit:

old wing with flow vis, the centre ridge has more color while the new wing has none.

[Cuky]

Why do you thing they are blowing down in to the diffuser??

This is their way of making a passive F-Duct. While they can't get airstream to the wing through shark fin, as they are forbidden to contact with rear wings, they have routed it through central pylon. When duct is not activated air goes from intakes straight to the exit in the middle of the car, just under the beam wing (that large tunnel marked here in blue). When car is at certain speed F-Duct is activated and air goes from intakes, through central pylon and on to the wing. I am not sore where they are venting it, though I don't think it will be too long until someone spots that place

[bhall]

I'm still trying to make sense of it.


(Click to enlarge)