Post by Site Admin on Jul 15, 2004 22:06:23 GMT -4
Fuel System Requirements
In order to consider how much fuel flow your race car needs, it is necessary to consider how much power the engine makes. Although it is desirable to have reliable dynamometer data, it is not totally necessary. If using GASOLINE fuel, each 100 horsepower needs to have at least .134 GPM (gallons per minute) at an appropriate pressure to overcome the g's (g is 32.2 ft./sec./sec.) of acceleration. If using ALCOHOL (Methanol) fuel, each 100 horsepower needs at least .25 GPM.
Flow vs. Pressure
The important issue is not how much a fuel system will flow (typically referred to as "free flow"), but how much power the system will supply at specific pressures. Essentially, the harder the vehicle launches, the more important the rating of flow versus pressure. The overall stability of the flow versus pressure curve affects how the vehicle responds to changes to improve the initial, 60 ft., 330 ft., and final ETs. The old "free flow" into a gas can versus time is very misleading and an inaccurate method as well. A test of volume flow versus time can be a good test ONLY if it is at rated pressure!
In order to consider how much fuel flow your race car needs, it is necessary to consider how much power the engine makes. Although it is desirable to have reliable dynamometer data, it is not totally necessary. If using GASOLINE fuel, each 100 horsepower needs to have at least .134 GPM (gallons per minute) at an appropriate pressure to overcome the g's (g is 32.2 ft./sec./sec.) of acceleration. If using ALCOHOL (Methanol) fuel, each 100 horsepower needs at least .25 GPM.
Flow vs. Pressure
The important issue is not how much a fuel system will flow (typically referred to as "free flow"), but how much power the system will supply at specific pressures. Essentially, the harder the vehicle launches, the more important the rating of flow versus pressure. The overall stability of the flow versus pressure curve affects how the vehicle responds to changes to improve the initial, 60 ft., 330 ft., and final ETs. The old "free flow" into a gas can versus time is very misleading and an inaccurate method as well. A test of volume flow versus time can be a good test ONLY if it is at rated pressure!