F1 and fuel
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This is from 2013, so it's bigger at ~230 litres, but it clearly fits in an F1 car.
http://www.racecar-engineering.com/articles/f1/technology-explained-f1-fuel-systems/
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By definition that's patently wrong, because that's how big they are and they're definitely in there...
However, if you want to think rationally about it, 140 litres, in a cube, would be 52cm x 52cm x 52cm. An F1 fuel tank isn't a cube though, it's more saddle-shaped, and looks like this:
(although that's a V8 era 165kg/210-litre tank)
Each fuel cell is roughly 80cm wide (cars may not store fuel more than 400mm from the vehicle centreline), 50cm high and around 60cm long - that's more or less the same size as a central heating boiler.
If it was homogenous, that would be enough for 240 litres, but it's shaped to go behind the driver's seat and around some other structures in the centre of the car, so the volume decreases a bit. Here it is in cross section, in situ:
You can also see some of the baffles in that image too.
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- Bratvegas
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Fuel, much like in the aviation industry, is measured in kilograms and not litres because a kilogram is a measure of the fuel's mass, which is absolute, whereas a litre is a measure of the fuel's volume, which can differ depending on temperature.
Unless I'm very much mistaken...
Unless I'm very much mistaken...
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@andyparks, so are you implying that F1 cars don’t use fuel at all, that they run on a mystery fuel, or that they run on much much less fuel than indicated?
In any case, why would this technology be limited to F1? Why would we not see it in Endurance Racing at Le Mans?
Or do you think pit stops at Le Mans are just a show for the camera?
Basically, you’ve proposed that the earth isn’t round, but you haven’t really offered an alternative shape that it could be.....
In any case, why would this technology be limited to F1? Why would we not see it in Endurance Racing at Le Mans?
Or do you think pit stops at Le Mans are just a show for the camera?
Basically, you’ve proposed that the earth isn’t round, but you haven’t really offered an alternative shape that it could be.....
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Just to check (as if I needed to) I downloaded a free F1 car model from The Interwebz and quickly kludged a fuel tank into it. Surprise surprise - it's quite easy to get 140,000 millilitres in behind the driver and in front of the engine. Took ten minutes but I bet a professional F1 design engineer would take longer... and do a far neater job 
Interestingly the base width is less than the permitted 800mm so there's room for expansion.
@andyparks you could try this for yourself with a basic schematic and a calculator.
Interestingly the base width is less than the permitted 800mm so there's room for expansion.
@andyparks you could try this for yourself with a basic schematic and a calculator.
