rate was 100kg/hr or around 28 grams a second. Irrespective of
efficiency, this means that the maximum available chemical energy
is now dictated by the fuel-flow limitation. Consequently if you could
add one per cent more ‘fuel’ with an equivalent chemical energy,
then you would achieve one per cent more power on the assumption
that the thermal efficiency remained the same.
People soon realised that this additional
‘fuel’ might be added through combining
additives to the lubricating oil and then
contriving for that fuel to enter the
combustion chamber in a controlled manner.
Over and above the possibility of simply
increasing the calorific value, or chemical
energy available, it was soon realised that
the old anti-knock chemicals could be of
even greater value and it’s likely that this
was the road once again travelled.
THE MAXIMUM AVAILABILE CHEMICAL ENERGY IS
NOW DICTATED BY THE FUEL-FLOW LIMITATION. IF
YOU COULD ADD ONE PER CENT MORE ‘FUEL’, YOU
COULD ACHIEVE ONE PER CENT MORE POWER
In addition, due to a ruling made some years
ago it was a requirement that the engine breather
was vented into the air box. An ideal route to inject
the additive and one that could be controlled by
a separate valve if necessary. During 2017 it was
accepted that the chemical definition of oil was
free but that oil consumption must be limited
to 1.2 litres per 100 kms or around 0.06 litres alap. For 2018 that limit has been halved and the
teams must supply the FIA with a continuous
measurement of engine oil level. There’s a ban on
active valves into the engine air intake too.
Perhaps most importantly there’s a new Article
20 which defines engine oil in such a way that to
comply, oil must now be essentially a substance
that we would all recognise as a lubricant...