Active air pressures

[greggy_thommo]

In the new techincal guidelines for 2008/09, one of the things specified is that the driver can adjust tyre pressures while he's going. If he wanted to increase the pressures, how would this be achieved without a pump, etc.?

[manchild]

Probably. Having a container with pressured nitrogen means much less weight than having tank with nitrogen and a pump. Besides that first option is much faster.

BTW, I think that such gadget is no good for safety.

[DaveKillens]

Some off road trucks have the ability to vary the air pressures inside the tires. They run a hose through the hub, and that links the tire to the air bottle/regulator. In F1, where rapid wheel changes are necessary, I believe that it's too difficult to run such a setup. Bleeding off pressure is simple, just some form of radio control remote valve contained within the wheel assembly. I do like that aspect for safety, in case of a pit stop/wheel change they could add tires overpressurized, and bleed off pressure (and ride height) as the tires warm.

[manchild]

Recently I heard story from unconfirmed source about some guy who bought new BMW 5 and got puncture. He stopped to see what happened when car self inflated the tyre and on board computer announced something like “now you can cross xx kilometers at xx max speed…”. I’ve completely lost interest in passenger cars so I don’t know whether this story has any truth in it?

[Scuderia_Russ]

Probably. Having a container with pressured nitrogen means much less weight than having tank with nitrogen and a pump. Besides that first option is much faster.

BTW, I think that such gadget is no good for safety.

I was about to posty a reply saying that surely if it was regulated strictly enough it should be bullet proof and trouble free, but look at the refuelling fires that still happen every season... eleven years after its reintroduction! I never forget, Martin Brundle was once talking about drivers selecting neutral at their pit stops. He said he never did it because it was adding an unneccessary variable into his race that could result in a DNF (if his 'box didn't want to select first again!) I feel this could be along the same lines.

[Reca]

Recently I heard story from unconfirmed source about some guy who bought new BMW 5 and got puncture. He stopped to see what happened when car self inflated the tyre and on board computer announced something like “now you can cross xx kilometers at xx max speed…”.

It doesn’t self inflate the tyre; BMW 5, as most if not all the recent BMW models, is equipped with tyre pressure sensors and with run flat tyres, allowing max 150 km at max 80 km/h after the puncture.
The on board computer simply reads the pressure drop and reminds the driver the limit of the tyre in that condition.

[ackzsel]

In the new techincal guidelines for 2008/09, one of the things specified is that the driver can adjust tyre pressures while he's going.

May the pressure regulation also be controlled by a computer? Because that reminds me of some kind of "active suspention". Ofcourse regulating tire pressure isn't anything close the the active suspension which is banned for a while now.

But IF the tire pressure may be computer controlled, it's only a small step to change tire pressure before every corner or straight at the circuit. For example: lower pressure at heavy braking, higher pressure at quick chicanes... etc.

I don't think a pressure management like this fits in the filosophy of the new FIA regulations...