Present engines for passenger cars and motorcycles are the result of a centenarian technological evolution, however experience proves that a long time often elapses before an available new solution is adopted, even if it leads to significant improvements of engine characteristics. Conversely, due to the need of excellent performance and to less severe cost limitations, racing engines and former aeroplane reciprocating engines of the first decades of the century are characterised by early adoption of advanced solutions. Many solutions for mass-production engines (four-valve cylinder head, overhead camshaft, fuel injection, supercharging), before becoming of large use, were first employed in engines for aeroplanes or for racing road-vehicles. The decline of reciprocating engines in the aeronautic field after the Second World War has excluded them from the primogeniture of the most modern solutions, leaving this role to racing engines. At present, the increasing divergence between racing and normal engines, due to the endless growth of specific power of the former ones and to more and more severe limits of exhaust emissions and fuel consumption for the latter ones, might lead to the conclusion that transfers of technology have become impossible. Fortunately, this is not the case. Many solutions of present racing engines will beneficial for mass production engines of the near future. For example, the special valve-gear design and the very large bore-to-stroke ratio, conceived to allow the very high rotation speeds of present Formula 1 engines, are key solutions for a possible valved two-stroke GDI engine, directed to mass production. Moreover, advantageous exchanges of technology, rather than one-way transfers, occur in some cases, mainly regarding injection and ignition systems.
From Racing to Passenger Road-Vehicles: the Promotion of Engine High-Tech Solutions
GENTILI, ROBERTO
1999-01-01
Abstract
Present engines for passenger cars and motorcycles are the result of a centenarian technological evolution, however experience proves that a long time often elapses before an available new solution is adopted, even if it leads to significant improvements of engine characteristics. Conversely, due to the need of excellent performance and to less severe cost limitations, racing engines and former aeroplane reciprocating engines of the first decades of the century are characterised by early adoption of advanced solutions. Many solutions for mass-production engines (four-valve cylinder head, overhead camshaft, fuel injection, supercharging), before becoming of large use, were first employed in engines for aeroplanes or for racing road-vehicles. The decline of reciprocating engines in the aeronautic field after the Second World War has excluded them from the primogeniture of the most modern solutions, leaving this role to racing engines. At present, the increasing divergence between racing and normal engines, due to the endless growth of specific power of the former ones and to more and more severe limits of exhaust emissions and fuel consumption for the latter ones, might lead to the conclusion that transfers of technology have become impossible. Fortunately, this is not the case. Many solutions of present racing engines will beneficial for mass production engines of the near future. For example, the special valve-gear design and the very large bore-to-stroke ratio, conceived to allow the very high rotation speeds of present Formula 1 engines, are key solutions for a possible valved two-stroke GDI engine, directed to mass production. Moreover, advantageous exchanges of technology, rather than one-way transfers, occur in some cases, mainly regarding injection and ignition systems.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
