Top Fuel Dragster interesting facts

[Blackbird]

Methanol burns a lot cooler than petrol. So long as there's a fresh supply of cold oil I don't see the problem

Correct about methanol but nitromethane liberates lots of oxygen and heat. I used to go through up to 4 sets of pistons a season due to melting rather than detonation

[sAsLEX]

Couple of things - these engines aren't built using "most blocks". They are commonly built using billet blocks, there are no water jackets, just lots of aluminium for strength which also acts as a heat sink.

Like the one in here http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...chanical+porn?

[NordieBoy]

Okay, so how do the engines maintain any kind of temperature control? They have no cooling system as such, generate humungeous heat, so what stops seizure, even in these ultra short runs. After starting and then staging, the engine is running for a minute or so. What stops the bores distorting to the point of piston seizure, as would happen in most blocks run without water?

Or am I missing something fundamental here?

Closed circuit cooling without radiator?
Enough for a few minutes.
That's what's on this one...

[Fooman]

This was sent to me by a mate in Oz......

Some of these facts are just unreal !!!!!!!!!!!

This one is:

* Under full throttle, a Top Fuel dragster engine consumes 11.2 gallons
(51
litres)of nitro methane per second; a fully loaded 747 consumes jet fuel
at
the same rate with 25% less energy being produced.

A fully loaded 747 at maximum thrust at cruising speed uses approximately 240 MW of power (270 kN thrust per engine at 250 m/s (913 km/h) times four engines = 240 MW)

This is 240 000 kW, or ~320 000 hp. The actual number will be less than this due to the engine not being at full thrust when cruising. But the power numbers are about right, as a comparison, a GE LM6000 aero-derivative turbine makes ~ 50 MW in a simple cycle application (these are the ones in use at Southdown power station in AKL) - and they're based on old 747 engines (GE CF-6)

320 000 hp is a lot more than the 5000 to 7000 hp a top fuel engine makes.

And it's burning nowt but glorified kerosene to do so, rather than nitro-methane.

Cheers,
FM

[speedpro]

Closed circuit cooling without radiator?
Enough for a few minutes.
That's what's on this one...

Some of the lower performance engines using iron blocks they just pour "concrete" , actually some sort of epoxy, into the water galleries. It helps with strength, stabilises the block and as a by-product probably helps with heat dissipation.

[oldguy]

Some of the lower performance engines using iron blocks they just pour "concrete" , actually some sort of epoxy, into the water galleries. It helps with strength, stabilises the block and as a by-product probably helps with heat dissipation.

I crewed for a mate, Grant Longley, (Wildbunch) 55 chev running 460BB with LittleField 10/71 supercharger the engine block, like you said had concrete in the water galleries, so no water cooling at all, use to tow the car back after every run, there was a release valve on the front of the blower which had to be pressed to release the air pressure inside the blower, which was covered in ice.

[Bumblebeeman1150]

Thanks for the explanations. I always wondered.

Cheers,

[speedpro]

there was a release valve on the front of the blower which had to be pressed to release the air pressure inside the blower, which was covered in ice.

It's just a bit of pressure in the bearing support housing.

New theory on that now - The pressure helps to keep the seals tight so the pressure doesn't get released. Who knows!