Alternative ducting for brake cooling.

[megz]

I had an idea, and I'm not sure if it's feasible/legal, but would you be able to (within the regulations) open a duct below the nosecone to feed the front brakes?

The idea is by collecting air away from the front tyres you're less likely to pick up debris but (and possibly more importantly) the ducting would travel from the front of the nose across to the front tyres and be shaped as a wing profile or could be used as a flow conditioner.

What say you guys, is there anything in the idea?



Red circle is the duct opening, blue the ducting itself.

[marcush.]

I had an idea, and I'm not sure if it's feasible/legal, but would you be able to (within the regulations) open a duct below the nosecone to feed the front brakes?

The idea is by collecting air away from the front tyres you're less likely to pick up debris but (and possibly more importantly) the ducting would travel from the front of the nose across to the front tyres and be shaped as a wing profile or could be used as a flow conditioner.

I could post a pic if need be, but what say you guys, is there anything in the idea?

unfortunatelly you will need crossection for the ducts ,so this will carry a dramatic penalty in terms of aero in a very delicate area..

[Mystery Steve]

How exactly would that be more advantageous than the current setup?

[megz]

It was just the idea of being able to use the ducting as a flow conditioner if that was beneficial and/or reducing the amount of debris in the ducting due to it being further away from the tyres.

[mx_tifoso]

I don't understand the reasoning behind the idea of less debree with the ducting further away from the tyres. Are you currently under the impression that the tires themselves kick up debris or what?

I personally don't think that this would be an improvement over the current set-up. The front wing currently does the necessary aero work, and behind it are the tyres and the suspension linkages which in some cases are sculpted.

If the front section was enclosed like in prototypes and GT's then extended ducting would be a normal design.

And am I the only one who can't see the image in the first post?

[Mystery Steve]

And am I the only one who can't see the image in the first post?

Nope... Although, when I right-click and "View Image" in Firefox I can see it...

I wasn't under the impression that debris getting into the ducting has been a concern for teams, so I don't know if that would really be of benefit. You also have to consider the mass flow you're able to get through this "ducting." If it doesn't add significant drag, it will have to have a fairly small cross-section and you'll restrict the flow somewhat, not to mention the pressure drop from making a couple 90deg bends and traveling essentially the length of the half the front track. Like said, it may make sense in a closed body setup, but for open wheel I don't see the benefit.

[mx_tifoso]

Thanks for the idea, although I couldn't see it in the 'image info' window, so I just copied the url into another tab.

It does look like it would add a lot of drag and restrict flow, as well as cutting off airflow to the floor via the undertray beneath the nose. And parts like the splitter and bargeboards would also be affected.

The 90deg would definitely kill the flow, as it would then have to travel at a perpendicular angle to the original direction.