Fuel Cooling?

[Trots*88TII-AE*]

I'm just wondering what kind of real-world benefit there is to cooling the fuel personally. I know on the Honda F1 turbocharged racecars, they actually pre-heated the fuel to a certain temperature using engine coolant to help atomization, now whether that was to help fuel economy, power, or a bit of both I don't recall. I'm just not sure it's going to help you...

I also thought of running one using an outboard boat water-cooled oil cooler, and plumbing it in-line with my air-water intercooler. But when I looked into it I couldn't find much more benefit than just me thinking it would help.

[j9fd3s]

Originally Posted by Trots*88TII-AE*

I'm just wondering what kind of real-world benefit there is to cooling the fuel personally. I know on the Honda F1 turbocharged racecars, they actually pre-heated the fuel to a certain temperature using engine coolant to help atomization, now whether that was to help fuel economy, power, or a bit of both I don't recall. I'm just not sure it's going to help you...

I also thought of running one using an outboard boat water-cooled oil cooler, and plumbing it in-line with my air-water intercooler. But when I looked into it I couldn't find much more benefit than just me thinking it would help.

the honda engine is neat, it does really highlight that the fuel they used was weird though.

i wonder how much cooling youd really need with gasoline? it might be that a loop of aluminum line, like a PS loop would be plenty

either that or maybe it would be simpler to hook up the fuel pump speed relay

[WankelsRevenge]

Fuel coolers are used on engines that have major heat soak problems that causes the fuel to evaporate in the lines. I had an old turbo'ed Fiero and was getting bad fuel vaporlock probs, slapped an inline fuelcooler on it and it solved the prob. But that car was rear engined and had heat issues form the start. I wouldnt think in our cars it would be as big of a problem, then again ive never done any high HP builds on a rotary yet.
Ryan

[RETed]

Originally Posted by WankelsRevenge

Fuel coolers are used on engines that have major heat soak problems that causes the fuel to evaporate in the lines.

This should really not be a problem with the normal (rail) pressures we're running unless you're running some kinda extreme fuel set-up - see RR's post about the multiple 044's.


-Ted

[RICE RACING]

Originally Posted by j9fd3s

the honda engine is neat, it does really highlight that the fuel they used was weird though.

i wonder how much cooling youd really need with gasoline? it might be that a loop of aluminum line, like a PS loop would be plenty

either that or maybe it would be simpler to hook up the fuel pump speed relay

I have every F1 book and report known to man from the turbo era, i'll try to scan that article and post it.

Fuel cooling is only needed when you have an abortion of a fuel system (read 2 x 044 Bosch LOL) then it is easy for the fuel to go over 80 deg C or more and you can see and hear it boil in the fuel tank! I have seen this first hand after a 20 minute drive in one Mazda I tuned for a work shop one night.

A proper fuel system (I.E. Mine) will support 850bhp or more in power and after 30 minutes of operation only show 8 degree's over ambient temperature (with only 30lt of fuel on board). IE 20 deg C day, 30 minutes later of running fuel temp logged at the rail is 28 deg C or so.

*This is achieved by no stupid base pressure settings.
*A variable speed/voltage fuel pump control
*A decent Japanese fuel pump, more flow less heat than others
*A Water Injection tank that has a fuel circuit built into it.

In practice you really need to be fucked up bad like that workshop Mazda I worked on to see a benefit from "cool fuel" but in some cars it can make the difference from detonation to not believe it or not. Power wise it makes fuck all difference.

This is my "fuel cooler"

Fuel goes in the bottom fitting, out the top fitting, in my water injection tank is a allow fuel coil, it stabilizes the fuel temperature, after a 30 minute drive the tank is still cold to touch, I have included a log of the fuel temperature on a 100kmh to 150kmh run in 2.291 seconds! 20 deg C ambient day yesterday at this test run. Fact V's Fiction lol