Variable intakes for 2014

[trinidefender]

I was doing a bit of reading on the 2014 regulations and as per rule 5.9.3, from 2015 onwards variable length intake trumpets will be completely LEGAL. The rules say that they are only banned for the 2014 season. Generally variable length intakes are only seen in naturally aspirated cars (NA) for pulse tuning of the intake system but I'm wondering if any engine manufacturers will place them on their engines for 2015 onwards.

Thoughts?

[matt21]

I think this would be a good method to increase low speed torque and engine pick-up.
Even in production engines there are only few applications like the 2.0 TFSI of VW.

[xxChrisxx]

I doubt it's something that will be taken up with any urgency. There is just no real need with a turbocharger (even a fixed geometry one). The engines will already be far more drivable due to the rev limit being so far above the max fuel flow, giving a wide operating band.

[Holm86]

The same principle of acoustic tuning should work on both N/A and turbo engines. I just think the gain percentage on N/A engines are larger.

I know BMW used variable geometry in the intake manifold of their straight six turbo diesel engines. They also caused a lot of trouble because the engine ate the gasket sealing the throttles.

If there is any gains what so ever I think its worth it.

But low end torque will be fixed by the MGU-H spooling the turbo.

[xxChrisxx]

The BMW plastic throttles were to combat shut down shake.

[trinidefender]

Well with Honda coming into the mix for 2015 they seem perfectly poised to design a variable length intake to work with their engine rather than adding it on to an existing engine like other manufacturers would have to do which may involve some compromise. I guess time will tell if they include it in their engine. And well pulse tuning can help greatly on a NA engine....just wonder how much it would help on a forced induction engine.

[wuzak]

I don't think it will be terribly necessary for the 2014 engines, as the MGU-H should give very good control of air flow into th eengine.

[Hobbs04]

MGU-h? Could the kers batteries spool up the turbo to prevent lag time?

[WhiteBlue]

MGU-h? Could the kers batteries spool up the turbo to prevent lag time?

There is no such thing as a KERS battery. There is the energy storage system ERS which can store energy from both motor/generator units and release energy to both of them. The MGU-H will obviously be used to spool up the turbine/compressor unit. The energy can have come from either MGU (H=heat or K=kinetic) or from both of them. You cannot determine that any more as both units are charging the ERS.

[MOWOG]

I was doing a bit of reading on the 2014 regulations

Only at F1T could someone make a statement like that and NOT be considered slightly weird by his peers!

[Edis]

The same principle of acoustic tuning should work on both N/A and turbo engines. I just think the gain percentage on N/A engines are larger.

I know BMW used variable geometry in the intake manifold of their straight six turbo diesel engines. They also caused a lot of trouble because the engine ate the gasket sealing the throttles.

If there is any gains what so ever I think its worth it.

But low end torque will be fixed by the MGU-H spooling the turbo.

Variable inlets used on diesels are usually there to increase swirl at part load.

Well with Honda coming into the mix for 2015 they seem perfectly poised to design a variable length intake to work with their engine rather than adding it on to an existing engine like other manufacturers would have to do which may involve some compromise. I guess time will tell if they include it in their engine. And well pulse tuning can help greatly on a NA engine....just wonder how much it would help on a forced induction engine.

Pulse tuning works the same way regardless if the engine is naturally aspirated or turbocharged. But for production engines a variable inlet tend to only add cost, since you can have the added torque benefit by cranking up the boost pressure instead.

If it will be used in F1 I think will depend on what is limiting the engines; air or fuel.

[WhiteBlue]

...If it will be used in F1 I think will depend on what is limiting the engines; air or fuel.

I think we all know what is limited from 2014.

[trinidefender]

Well my think goes like this. The variable intakes boost low end torque yes. However they also reduce turbo lag by the fact of having more mass flow going through the engine at lower rpm's. Yes teams will have the motor unit to pre-spool the turbo but if the variable intake can help with the spooling then that is more power that the battery pack can have available for anything else such as putting power straight down to the wheels

[dragosmp]

I don't think it will be terribly necessary for the 2014 engines, as the MGU-H should give very good control of air flow into th eengine.

It will, but the MGUH in doing so will consume some energy from the battery, which is limited to 2MJ/lap.

Well my think goes like this. The variable intakes boost low end torque yes. However they also reduce turbo lag by the fact of having more mass flow going through the engine at lower rpm's. Yes teams will have the motor unit to pre-spool the turbo but if the variable intake can help with the spooling then that is more power that the battery pack can have available for anything else such as putting power straight down to the wheels

+1 seems like a good guess, I don't see why one would consume full power to spool the turbo if swirls flaps could help. I think turbo-diesel BMW used them at first to improve low-rev combustion and lower emissions (more this then to have more low-rev power). There would be a mass penalty due to the variable intakes, remains to be seen if it would offset the gain in torque.