Morphing Aerodynamics

[lightweight]

It's the next big thing in aeronautics. Morphing wings are wings that alter their shape. For example they become low drag-max speed OR high drag-big manoeuvrability.

Morphing wings change shape a bit like the bad cop in Terminator. What I mean is that morphing wings are not just a standard shape wing that just changes its position (like the F-14). Morphing wings technology changes the actual shape of the wing.

This technology could be implemented in F1. It's very expensive right now, but in the future it could be possible. In the past there were some tests in F1 with moving aero parts. It was a disaster. The car was totally unpredictable, so the plan was ditched. With the tech advance and the research that is being carried out as we speak for aeronautic purposes, I guess it could be possible to put it in F1.

For sure it would be visually rather impressive. Imagine a Ferrari behind a McLaren in a corner. The Ferrari would alter the front wings shape to create more downforce and it would pass more easily. Also tn big straights, the wings would alter their profile and cut drag drastically. Speeds about 360+ km/h would be the norm (unlike today's 330 in F1)

What are your opinions on the subject? Do you think it is too much for automotive technology? Is it possible to do it?


http://www.newscientist.com/channel/mech-tech/dn7552

[Matra et Alpine]

moveable aero surfaces have been banned in F1.
It woudl need a rule change to permit them.

Some teams were caught doing it these last 2 years using the wing flex to alter the aero effect and improve drag.

The BIG problem with modifiable aero is the impact of failure. A pilot in a plane gets the opportunity to punch out and avoid the crunch. An F1 driver doesn/t So if a high-downforce aero suddenly switched to low downforce at the brakign zone it woudl be goodnight Vienna

[my porsche]

the i think 1970 or something chapparal had this, it was a driver controlled pedal, that changed the angle of the wing, basically hold down on straights for a flat wing and aero advantages and lift off the pedal in the corners for max df

[lightweight]

So if a high-downforce aero suddenly switched to low downforce at the brakign zone it woudl be goodnight Vienna

I see what you mean. But if the use of such technology would be safe, why not? I mean, people never doubt that a carbon disk would fail during braking, although it is severely stressed. This happens because teams know the related technology, and they have very big safety margins.
If research on morphing aero would resume in a productive way and such safety margins are possible, why not implement it in F1.

Now it would cost big bucks to do it, but it would be nice

[Alastor]

An similar article came out Tuesday in regards to a small drone with a deformable wing that mocks a gull’s wing. It has some videos linked in the article:

http://news.ufl.edu/2005/08/23/morphing-planes/

moveable aero surfaces have been banned in F1.
It woudl need a rule change to permit them.

Some teams were caught doing it these last 2 years using the wing flex to alter the aero effect and improve drag…

All wings or airfoils experience some level of aeroelasticity, the degree of which depends on the structural design. How is it that the teams were caught? That is could they not just claim that structural stiffness was sacrificed for weight and the aerodynamic side effects positive or negative were not analyzed?

[Matra et Alpine]

All wings or airfoils experience some level of aeroelasticity, the degree of which depends on the structural design. How is it that the teams were caught? That is could they not just claim that structural stiffness was sacrificed for weight and the aerodynamic side effects positive or negative were not analyzed?

They were caught because it became evident they were buidlign IN the required elasticity to control the deformatin to produce the required aero changes at differeing speeds.
They 'tried' that claim and were foudn to be illegal as the analysis showed the shapes had been chosen to maximise the effect. IF it had been 'accidental' deformation then the shape would NOT have been the way it was. THAT was the rulling of the technical panel
So F! added a reg that requried minimum deformation to a fixed applied force.

[Vindesh17]

great idea but as Matra said they would need a rule change to do it.

[pimento]

I thought they were looking at a rule change for that? Or at least moving aero.

[Matra et Alpine]

I thought they were looking at a rule change for that? Or at least moving aero.

It's one of the many ideas thrown around in the press about how to improve things - up there with the 'boost' button.

Cynical me reckons it came about because in the drive to reduce power and drag and the talk of downforce down to 10% of what it is today then the sponsors realised that would mean no big wings to put logos on and thus had to come up with an idea so that wings could stay and never exceed 10% at 200mph