2014-2020 Formula One 1.6l V6 turbo engine formula

[Just_a_fan]

They can only make changes when they change a component e.g. if they change an engine then they can put the new version in. This means that they get 3 improvements per season (the season starting engine and then three in-season "new engines"). The bits they can change are lumped together:

The one restriction on development will be that new parts can only be fitted when a team changes one of six elements that make up a car's power-unit.

Those six elements are:

the internal combustion engine;
the turbo charger;
the energy store;
the control electronics;
and the two motor generator units.

I like that they have decided this from 2017. It gives Mercedes the reward for having done the best job so far but also gives the other engine manufacturers a season to really develop their development programme.

[FW17]

Why don't F1 engines use a blow-off valve as one of the variables for harvesting energy?

Are they not allowed?

They do use blow-off valves.

Do you mean Blow Off valves for controlling the charge air pressure FW17? If you do, then no they don't use them because they are just a way of wasting energy.

Yes I meant it for controlling intake manifold pressure for the following reason

1) In certain sections of a lap particularly on the braking phase i guess the wastegate would be opened because the manifold pressure would have reached maximum, MGUH working on harvesting but the compressor would still be drawing a lot of power. The compressor power requirement can be reduced and MGUH generation can be maximized by providing a blowoff valve where by intake manifold pressure is reduced. Yes lag could be a problem.

2) Blow off could also be used as a fluid seal for the diffuser with cannon exits seen in 2012, not sure if the pressure is adequate for the same, particularly on corner entries

[trinidefender]

Why don't F1 engines use a blow-off valve as one of the variables for harvesting energy?

Are they not allowed?

Do you mean Blow Off valves for controlling the charge air pressure FW17? If you do, then no they don't use them because they are just a way of wasting energy.

Yes I meant it for controlling intake manifold pressure for the following reason

1) In certain sections of a lap particularly on the braking phase i guess the wastegate would be opened because the manifold pressure would have reached maximum, MGUH working on harvesting but the compressor would still be drawing a lot of power. The compressor power requirement can be reduced and MGUH generation can be maximized by providing a blowoff valve where by intake manifold pressure is reduced. Yes lag could be a problem.

2) Blow off could also be used as a fluid seal for the diffuser with cannon exits seen in 2012, not sure if the pressure is adequate for the same, particularly on corner entries

Regs stipulate that all air entering the intake before the compressor has to exit the ICE though the exhaust after the turbine. This means that it rules out blow off valves that dump airflow to the atmosphere. I'm not sure how the rules would treat recirculating blow off valves.

[gruntguru]

In any case blow off valves do not significantly reduce compressor power - upstream throttling is a far better option.

[wuzak]

What about braking the turbine - can generate electrical power and should be able to quickly reduce boost/flow to the required level. The MGUH should be able to stop the turbo completely quite quickly, if necessary.

The downside is having to re-accelerate the turbo.

I'm guessing that much of the time the turbo will not be slowed below a point where the exhaust stream is insufficient to accelerate the turbo, meaning a small amount of assistance from the MGUH would be required to improve response.

The times where this was not possible would be in the very slow corners.

I doubt very much that there is any throttling before the compressor in the current F1 power units.

[FW17]

Regs stipulate that all air entering the intake before the compressor has to exit the ICE though the exhaust after the turbine. This means that it rules out blow off valves that dump airflow to the atmosphere. I'm not sure how the rules would treat recirculating blow off valves.

You mean all air entering compressor has to exit out of the exhaust

[Facts Only]

Regs stipulate that all air entering the intake before the compressor has to exit the ICE though the exhaust after the turbine. This means that it rules out blow off valves that dump airflow to the atmosphere. I'm not sure how the rules would treat recirculating blow off valves.

You mean all air entering compressor has to exit out of the exhaust

Yes and fuel. Its somewhere buried in the regs.

Its still a wasteful system to use a blow off valve (even a re-circ' one) as you use the energy to compress the gas and then just vent it out. As already mentioned you throttle the compressor instead.

[Tommy Cookers]

why should a re-circ BOV (if allowed) be inefficient ?

our world changed when Porsche turbo'ed the 917, producing the first road circuit-raceable turbo (ovals-only till this)
iirc due to their innovation - the recirc BOV - keeping up turbo rpm

[Facts Only]

Because you are just pumping air round in a circle, if you don't need any more compressed air then the most efficient thing to do is to not compress anymore air.

[hurril]

Because you are just pumping air round in a circle, if you don't need any more compressed air then the most efficient thing to do is to not compress anymore air.

And how would you do that without also not generating anymore electric energy?

[turbof1]

Because you are just pumping air round in a circle, if you don't need any more compressed air then the most efficient thing to do is to not compress anymore air.

And how would you do that without also not generating anymore electric energy?

wastegate?

[hurril]

Because you are just pumping air round in a circle, if you don't need any more compressed air then the most efficient thing to do is to not compress anymore air.

And how would you do that without also not generating anymore electric energy?

wastegate?

No?

[Per]

Because you are just pumping air round in a circle, if you don't need any more compressed air then the most efficient thing to do is to not compress anymore air.

And how would you do that without also not generating anymore electric energy?

Wrong question. Using energy to compress air just for the sake of converting it back to electrical energy later is definitely going to be less efficient than not using the energy in the first place.

I'm with Facts Only and wuzak - throttle the compressor and in the right conditions use MGU-H in harvesting mode to slow the turbine and compressor down.

[FW17]

Will we see intake systems integrated with intercoolers in F1? Already on VW road cars

In the next step, indirect charge air cooling is shifted even closer to the engine: the integrated indirect charge air cooler is installed in the intake pipe. This completely eliminates all the charge air lines, and amplifies all the advantages of indirect charge air cooling.
The pressure drop over the even shorter charge air line can be reduced by up to 80 percent in comparison with direct charge air cooling. The responsiveness, density recovery, and packaging are further optimized. Manufacturing is also simplified considerably by integrating the charge air cooler in the intake pipe. This results, for example, in optimum leak tightness of the system.

[OO7]

The Ferrari system was similar to that and sat in the 'V', however it wasn't directly connected to the intake ports and its placing didn't allow the use of variable intakes.