Energy Flow of a 2018 FIA F1 Racing Car and Proposed Changes to the Powertrain Rules
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Nonlinear Engineering 2020; 9: 28–34 Albert Boretti* Energy flow of a 2018 FIA F1 racing car and proposed changes to the powertrain rules https://doi.org/10.1515/nleng-2018-0171 combustion engine (ICE), a motor generator unit-kinetic Received November 12, 2018; revised December 3, 2018; accepted (MGU-K), a motor generator unit-heat (MGU-H), an energy December 28, 2018. store (ES), a turbocharger (TC) and the control electronics Abstract: In the last few years, the different teams have (CE) [1]. dramatically improved the directly injected, electrically In the last few years, the different teams have dra- assisted turbocharged, internal combustion engine of FIA matically improved the directly injected, electrically as- F1 hybrid electric cars. With limited fuel flow rate, but un- sisted turbocharged, ICE, of limited fuel flow rate but un- limited boost, the engine is now delivering peak power at limited boost, now delivering peak power at fuel conver- fuel conversion efficiencies about 45% running lean strat- sion efficiencies about 45% running lean stratified with the ified with the help of some sort of jet ignition. Thepaper help of some sort of jet ignition. The different teams have, analyses the energy flow of a FIA F1 hybrid electric car however, also developed illegal systems to improve perfor- covering one lap of the Monte Carlo race track of length mances, from fuel flow meters out of calibration, to com- 3.370 km. The amount of energy recovered is minimal, at bustion of lubricating oil, to the use of special fuels, and the most 2 of the 9.77 MJ of braking energy, or 20.6%. The strictly speaking, also the use of jet ignition, [2, 3]. fuel consumption per lap, 1.16 kg of fuel, or 50.34 MJ of The energy flow of a F1 car covering a lap of Monte fuel energy, needed to deliver the 16.28-18.28 MJ of propul- Carlo is analyzed in detail. It is shown as the amount of sive energy, at an outstanding average efficiency of 32 to energy recovery is minimal, and dramatic improvements 36%, may still be dramatically reduced. New rules are thus are still possible to reduce the fuel consumption per lap. proposed to promote the development of technical fea- There is a clear need to develop new rules to promote the tures that could be beneficial to passenger car applica- development of technical features that could be benefi- tions, from advanced turbo-compounding, to enhanced cial to passenger car applications, from advanced turbo- thermal and mechanical energy recovery, and better hy- compounding, to enhanced energy recovery. It is sug- bridization. gested to leave complete freedom to develop the ICE, as well as the energy recovery system, without any limitation Keywords: internal combustion engines, turbocharging, of recoverable energy or flow rate, but drastically reducing electric hybrid vehicles, energy conversion, energy effi- the amount of pump fuel permitted per race. ciency, racing cars, FIA F1, Monte Carlo The aim of the present work is to present, with the sup- port of measurements and computations, the state-of-the- art of energy efficiency in FIA F1 racing, and to discuss the further evolution of the rules to make F1 more tech- 1 Introduction nically challenging for the benefit of production cars. The paper will give first an historical perspective of FIA F1 rac- FIA F1 racing is characterized by restrictive rules, with ing from the start of the competition in 1950 to the present limited freedom to develop the different components of times. Then, results of experiments and simulations will the power unit. The internal combustion engine today be shown for a F1 car covering one lap of Monte Carlo, de- represents only one element of a sophisticated, complex, riving energy flows and energy efficiency. Then, thenew power unit [1]. The FIA F1 power unit comprises an internal rules, to be introduced in 2021, will be discussed, as they are likely to be, and as they should be changed, to make F1 more technically challenging and beneficial to production cars. *Corresponding Author: Albert Boretti, Department for Manage- ment of Science and Technology Development, Ton Duc Thang Uni- versity, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and Faculty of Applied Sciences, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, E-mail: [email protected] Open Access. © 2020 Albert Boretti, published by De Gruyter. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution alone 4.0 License. Albert Boretti, Energy flow of a 2018 FIA F1 racing car and proposed changes to the powertrain rules Ë 29 2 Past of FIA F1 It was in the late 1970s that F1 became a business, with significant expenditure also brought by the turbos and other technologies. It was only in 1977 that Renault The history of turbocharged racing engines, with empha- introduced their V6 1.5-litre turbocharged engine that sis on FIA F1, FIA WEC and FIA WRC, is covered in [4]. quickly proved to be the winning solution. Different tur- The interested reader is thus referred to this book for fur- bocharged engines configurations were considered. By ther reading. The rules of the Fédération Internationale de 1985, all the manufacturers adopted 1.5-litre turbocharged l’Automobile (FIA) F1 power units, now including the inter- engines. In 1986, only engines 1.5-litre forced induction nal combustion engine (ICE) and the Energy Recovery Sys- (turbocharged) were permitted. In 1987, 3.5-litre naturally tems (ERS), have never been so restrictive, since the start aspirated engines were permitted together with 1.5-litre of these competitions. This introductory part is needed to forced induction (turbocharged) engines of 3.5 bar boost forecast the future developments, as any change should be limit. In 1988, the boost of 1.5-litre turbocharged engines considered in the context of the legacy to the world most was reduced to 2.5 bar, and the year after the forced induc- successful motorsport event. tion engines were banned. In 1986, the turbocharged en- The FIA F1 Power Units 1950 to present have been gines were delivering 900 HP during races, and 1,400 HP changed significantly over the years, promoting first su- during qualifying. The turbo domination lasted two more percharged engines, then naturally aspirated engines, years, in 1987 and 1988, despite much larger 3.5-litre natu- then turbocharged engines, again naturally aspirated en- rally aspirated engines were permitted. gines, and finally again turbocharged engines. The years 1989 to 1994 were characterized by using 3.5- In the beginning, pre-World War II (WWII) regulations litre naturally aspirated engines, with banned forced in- defined by engine capacity for supercharged and natu- duction. The revolution limit was unrestricted, while the rally aspirated engines were adopted. The first ever FIA F1 number of cylinders was limited to V12. Reduction of dis- World Championship was organized in 1950, in response placement and number of cylinders drove the change in to the FIM Motorcycle World Championships introduced the engine rules adopted during the decade 1995 to 2005. in 1949. During the years 1950–1953, engines were 4.4-liter Only 3.0-litre naturally aspirated engines were permitted, naturally aspirated or 1.5-liter forced induction (super- while forced induction was banned. The revolution limit charged). Engine speed and number and configurations of was unrestricted, while the number of cylinders was lim- engine cylinders were unrestricted. Pre-WWII Alfa Romeo ited to V12 until 1999, then V10 maximum. In 2005, the FIA Alfettas 158s, powered by a 425 HP, 1.5-litre, supercharged introduced new ancillary regulations limiting to one en- gasoline engine, dominated the first two seasons despite gine per two Grand Prix weekends, to increase reliability the tiny budget, using mostly pre-WWII technology as well and reduced power. as parts. A further reduction of displacement and number of The first strictly FIA F1 regulations were introduced in cylinders to limit performances, determined the rules 2006 the 1954 season and continued until 1960. Engines were to 2013. The engines were 2.4-litre naturally aspirated. either 2.5-litre naturally aspirated, or 0.75-litre forced in- Forced induction (turbocharged) engines were banned. duction. Engine speed and number and configurations of The revolution limit was unrestricted until 2006, then engine cylinders were unrestricted. The 2.5-litre naturally 19,000 rpm in 2007 and 2008, then 18,000 rpm since 2009. aspirated engine was the prevailing technical solution. The engine configuration was compulsory 90∘ V8. Bore 1961 to 1965, only 1.5-litre naturally aspirated engines was restricted to a maximum of 98 mm. Number of valves were permitted, forced induction being prohibited. Engine per cylinder was not more than two intake and two exhaust speed and number and configurations of engine cylinders valves. Only one fuel injector was permitted per cylinder, were unrestricted. and not more than one spark plug. More severe restrictions From 1966, due to the competition of the much better were also placed on the materials. The engine specifica- performance sport cars featuring larger engines, the FIA tions were then basically frozen since 2007, thus produc- introduced much larger displacements in naturally aspi- ing very similar products across different manufacturers, rated engines, 3-litre, while also permitting 1.5-litre forced mostly using same suppliers. induction engines. Engine speed and number and con- The global financial crisis of 2008 brings the empha- figurations of engine cylinders were unrestricted. Despite sis on sustainability, with the most part of the manufactur- permitted, no manufacturer had in the beginning the re- ers unable to afford the high costs of F1. Cost cutting, and sources needed to develop a turbocharged engine.