10 replies to this topic

[johnnycomelately1]

Could Electrohydrodynamics (EHD) have caused Alonso's testing crash in Barcelona?

[Greg Locock]

I think you need to expand that idea a bit, but EHD is a very weak effect, and currently has no practical applications in systems of the size of a car.

[johnnycomelately1]

I think you need to expand that idea a bit, but EHD is a very weak effect, and currently has no practical applications in systems of the size of a car.

i'm guessing "currently" is not a pun Greg

but more seriously, currently may be the correct word in that who really knows what is possible in what can effect aero, including, maybe, drag (via boundary layer manipulation); the byproduct of heat maybe in relation to coanda effect.

i dont know Greg thats for sure, but its "important" to keep an open mind as science is developed, and i think with all these bods in F1 they would be trying all manner of things to gain the advantage. if we only knew.

[johnnycomelately1]

greg it may be worthwhile looking at this MIT article , it is quite surprising - http://lae.mit.edu/ehd/

[desmo]

Yeah, putting the same energy into the rear wheel contact patches will no doubt deliver far greater lap time reductions.

[Greg Locock]

"Barrett estimates a small craft, with onboard instrumentation and a power supply, would need hundreds or thousands of kilovolts."

 

So all you need to do is find hundreds or thousands of kV on Alonso's car

[johnnycomelately1]

"Barrett estimates a small craft, with onboard instrumentation and a power supply, would need hundreds or thousands of kilovolts."

 

So all you need to do is find hundreds or thousands of kV on Alonso's car

high voltage = low amperage is very possible with the kilowatts they have.

a 12v car battery will produce 9kV a la electric fence units.

metallic paint as the conductor........

just musing Greg.

the question is what would EHD do exactly?

could it influence boundary layer and effect drag for instance?

i thought someone in here might know

[desmo]

It could but it won't in a racing car because of its high power demands.

[gruntguru]

Greg Locock  Posted Yesterday, 16:04         

"Barrett estimates a small craft, with onboard instrumentation and a power supply, would need hundreds or thousands of kilovolts."

 

So all you need to do is find hundreds or thousands of kV on Alonso's car

 

. . and hope the scrutineers don't find them.

[johnnycomelately1]

. . and hope the scrutineers don't find them.

to save me hours of looking , what regulation would it break?

[gruntguru]

There will be a rule somewhere limiting voltage/energy levels.