DaveKillens wrote:Problem: to combat heat build-up while idling in pit lane (during qualifying).
Solution: use the air pumping qualities of an internal combustion engine to pump cooling (ambient temp) air through the cylinders to assist cooling.
As mistareno pointed out: It is currently done completely electronically. The ECU cuts both the fuel and spark to four rotating cylinders per cycle. For example, if the firing order was - 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3.
Then the first cycle would result in 1-7-6-4 and the next would be 8-2-5-3
It basically runs as 2 alternating 4 cylinder engines, there are pumping loses associated with the valves closing and the compression for the unused cylinders, but these also help balance the engine out.
So what ahppens that on every second cycle, cooling air is pumped through each cylinder, and this keeps the engine cooler while it is waiting for release from the pit lane.
I am not convinced on that one mate - the air would be compressed still and the internals of the motor would be bloody hot.
The lack of heat by firing the pistons is where they are gaining cooling efficiency.
It is a bit chicken<>egg<>chicken but you cannot really imagin "cooling" air being ingested into a hot airbox, a hot inlet tract and a bloody hot motor and that it will do much good when it is compressed and heated up by compression before being exhausted?
Not setting off the explosion in the first place keeps it cooler..
Thats my tuppence anyways
EDIT>>>>You need to run coolant faster or colder to cool it down..or make it heat up less to start with - there you go..an easier way of putting it..lol