Radiator technology

[Downforce]

http://www.nanomaterials-intl.com/aluminum-diamond

http://www.nanomaterials-intl.com/wp-co ... ePaper.pdf

Or maybe this.

[thisisatest]

with 3d printing an intercooler, i envision the ability to make tiny fins all over the place in the interior, where the intake air goes. also, i think the fins on the outside could be shaped as airfoils instead of (im assuming) just a flat shape, and probably staggered, so as to create the least amount of resistance.
the diamond aluminum is interesting, but MMCs are banned for so many things in F1, im sure it wouldnt be allowed. unless it enters the public market and becomes somewhat mainstream...

[PhillipM]

with 3d printing an intercooler, i envision the ability to make tiny fins all over the place in the interior, .

You could do that already if you used something like that NRX hooked sheet-metal that's available for the fins around the radiator tubes.

[Downforce]

MMC is explicitly banned in the Power Unit section:

ARTICLE 5 : POWER UNIT
5.16Materials and construction–General :
5.16.1 Unless explicitly permitted for a specific application, the following materials may not be used anywhere on the power unit :

b)Metal Matrix Composites (MMC’s)

So if a radiator is considered as a part of the power unit, it's explicitly banned. However, if the radiator is considered as a part of the car =>

ARTICLE 15 : CAR CONSTRUCTION
15.1
Permitted materials : 15.1.1
The following is the list of permitted materials. These are the only materials permitted to be used in the construction of the Formula One Car provided only that in all cases the material is available on a non-exclusive basis and under normal commercial terms to all competitors.

2) Silicon carbide particulate reinforced aluminium alloy matrix

So, if we have synthetic diamond particles (commercialy available to all competitors) that are coated with a SiC (in one sense, we got the SiC carbide particle) and aluminium or aluminium alloy matrix = AlDiamond. So with a little bit of word games, maybe it could be possible...

[shelly]

After a bit of gooling I found that uk company 3T RPD (http://www.3trpd.co.uk/case-studies/met ... tudies.htm) have partnered with Within lab (http://www.within-lab.com/) and built some F1 parts in Direct Metal Laser Sintering, including a full titanium roll hoop described in F1 race technology in 2012.

In 2010 they also built a demo 3d-printed heat exchanger:

http://www.within-lab.com/case-studies/index11.php

I wonder if since then (4 years is along time in formula 1) this technical path has been pursued by any team or it has been discarded for some reason (unforeseen limitations, fia ban...).

Does anyone have some info on that?

[Lycoming]

So, if we have synthetic diamond particles (commercialy available to all competitors) that are coated with a SiC (in one sense, we got the SiC carbide particle) and aluminium or aluminium alloy matrix = AlDiamond. So with a little bit of word games, maybe it could be possible...

If it's cost/behavior were significantly different from Al-SiC MMCs, there's no way they would let that fly with some simple word games. If it were that easy, then none of the materials rules would mean anything.

[riff_raff]

How about closely spaced, ultra-thin wall, small diameter copper tubes in the heat exchanger core?

[shelly]

with 3d printing an intercooler, i envision the ability to make tiny fins all over the place in the interior, where the intake air goes. also, i think the fins on the outside could be shaped as airfoils instead of (im assuming) just a flat shape, and probably staggered, so as to create the least amount of resistance.

One of the advantages of DMLS is creating conformal cooling path easiliy, so I agree with you.

I have read on a couple if different sources that Ferrari, which are rumored to have water to air intercooler, have partnered with an american company for special materials and construction of the engine. It could be that the technology involved is DMLS and the partner is Morris technology (now owned by GE), a leading company in the field.
It is just a wild guess.

[riff_raff]

with 3d printing an intercooler, i envision the ability to make tiny fins all over the place in the interior, where the intake air goes. also, i think the fins on the outside could be shaped as airfoils instead of (im assuming) just a flat shape, and probably staggered, so as to create the least amount of resistance.

One of the advantages of DMLS is creating conformal cooling path easiliy, so I agree with you.

There are limits to the section thickness of a part made using DLMS. Typically, features like pipe walls or fins would be limited to around 1.5mm. Also, when it comes to creating internal features like flow passages or thin cantilevered features extending from a surface (like a fin), it can be difficult to produce them unless the feature can be built up in the direction the part body is created.

[gixxer_drew]

I tested that graphene stuff about four years on a heat exchanger. Quite remarkable results. Never ran on the real car.

[marcush.]

my personal Feeling is the copper or inconel Ultra thinwall tubing with very small ID should be worth a try .With modern weld Technologies it should be possible to manufacture with F1sort of Budgets -one issue to Keep in perspective is debris entering the Radiator entry at high Speeds ,you would surely Need some device to collect or deflect those particles away from destroying the delicate tubing .

[shelly]

I tested that graphene stuff about four years on a heat exchanger. Quite remarkable results. Never ran on the real car.

Why was it never used on the real car?
@riff-raff: thanks for the datils - it is probably limits like that that make other technologies more useful than dmls in this filed; nevertheless, the two companies I cited before built a demo, that's why I thought it was feasible.

About other materials: IIRc the rules are strict and just allowcertain materils, I think graphene is banned, I do not know about inconel or copper

[marcush.]

inconel is a trade name but their alloys are used in exhaust Systems and high temperature sensors especially for Turbo applications -I cannot imagine them being banned. Copper is definetely not even considered to be banned but maybe Cu alloys suitable for thinwall tubing?

[gixxer_drew]

I tested that graphene stuff about four years on a heat exchanger. Quite remarkable results. Never ran on the real car.

Why was it never used on the real car?

Let's just say it was a "potential sponsor" and we were left wondering if that was just sold to us so we would test it and send nice photos for brochure fodder for free. It wasn't really in budget for us to hunt that kind of a gain compared to the tooling cost for a one off piece.

[shelly]

Following AMuS news about Ferrari partnering with Mezzotech for radiators, I post a link to an old issue of RET talking about this company and its technology, and rads in general:

https://www.highpowermedia.com/uploads/ ... Sample.pdf