Lotus E20 VD

[Neno]

3 pipes????!!?!?!?
and now I dont get how he is losing downforce at low speeds

probably problem is how it works, in what moment. one is theory second is practice. how will it work if DRS is open, how you will control air trought other two tubes, when DRS closed, air should go trought other two tubes, idea is magnificent, but problem is probably is his complexity.

[Owen.C93]

Air could come via that highlighted area.

Maybe but then where would it go? The diffuser is pretty thin and shedding drag from diffuser would be quite a big modification.

[N12ck]

my theory:

[hammarby88]

Hmm.. What Scarbs say makes sense, but I still think N12ck is right too.



From pictures of the Rear wing it looks like the mercedes style ducts are opened when DRS is closed. Meaning there is flow continuously from the rear wing to the diffusor via the end plates and not the big visible tube(just like N12ck said). Should mean "moving" the downforced gained from rear wing to diffusor which means slightly less drag with same downforce? While closed the large tubing from rollhoop directs air thru the orange->blue and pink tubes on scarbs sketch.

When DRS opens another duct opens on the rear wing main plane (lower green) and forces air down towards blue/pink meaning more diffusor downforce and less pressure on rear wing?

[N12ck]

My theory is that they are trying to boost downforce, but then with DRS, they will loose it all with drag

[Owen.C93]

I think scarbs is talking about using the ducts to blow the diffuser and then when DRS is activated it switches the flow to the beam wing exit shedding drag. If he's not saying that then you can credit me with crazy theory #86.

[mike]

the actually don't need any extra ducts to blow the diffuser because intake air from the engine can easily to directed to the starter motor hole, as it is connected to the engine it self

[mike]

My theory is that they are trying to boost downforce, but then with DRS, they will loose it all with drag

if that is correct then.....what is the function of the middle pipe exit? wouldn't it be better to blow the diffuser with more air?

[Owen.C93]

the actually don't need any extra ducts to blow the diffuser because intake air from the engine can easily to directed to the starter motor hole, as it is connected to the engine it self

If you are talking to me then I agree. Air goes from airbox to diffuser giving more DF and drag, DRS opens uses more ducts to change the fluidic switch above gear box to move air going to diffuser to go to the beamwing instead. Shedding DF and drag. Not that I thought the drag of the diffuser was significant anyway.

[Matt Somers]

Here's my thoughts on the Lotus DDRS

http://somersf1.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/ ... nheim.html

[hammarby88]

the actually don't need any extra ducts to blow the diffuser because intake air from the engine can easily to directed to the starter motor hole, as it is connected to the engine it self

If you are talking to me then I agree. Air goes from airbox to diffuser giving more DF and drag, DRS opens uses more ducts to change the fluidic switch above gear box to move air going to diffuser to go to the beamwing instead. Shedding DF and drag. Not that I thought the drag of the diffuser was significant anyway.

Think it's more about gettiing rid of all the high pressure air on the main plane of the rear wing. When DRS opens air will go down the pipe and exit thru the large hole on teh beam wing instead which means way less press/drag.

[Neno]

My theory is that they are trying to boost downforce, but then with DRS, they will loose it all with drag

if that is correct then.....what is the function of the middle pipe exit? wouldn't it be better to blow the diffuser with more air?

middle pipe (pink) is key of this sistem. they dont want only boost downforce trough blue pipe, with pink pipe they want shift car drag/downforce on what moments are on track. if they are in DRS zone they will shift to drag and air will go in green pipe, then when they brake and go in corners they shift air to blue pipe, also think pink tube not only have one function, pink pipe have monkey seat role.

[matt21]

Are these some openings in the endplate?
But they would be open anytime.

[mike]

this is different to the mercedes system, it works in reverse. the pipe openings are at the middle of the profile instead of at the end of the profile, so the air is moving up into the wing rather than down when drs activates

[hammarby88]

Yellow=Closed DRS
Green=Opened DRS

Could there be some kind of "flap" at the red circle? There can not be any air going from blue to the rear wing since when DRS is closed that duct is closed as well, and you dont want air going out thru exit on the beam wing when drs is closed for max downforce and airflow to diffusor. When you open DRS the duct at the DRS actuator is revealed pushing air down thru that pipe and out the back(green) for less drag. So optimal is having a flap inside the pipes closing the green route of and forcing air down to diffusor while closed and then opening that when drs opens. Possible to do that with teh airflow somehow?