Top Fuel
As a Top Fuel Dragster classes are known in sport ( drag race ) in which nitromethane ( molecular formula CH3NO2 ) is used as fuel. For cars with supercharging is distinguished according to the chassis design between Top Fuel Dragster and Funny Car, Dragster with using nitromethane injection without supercharging, in a class with the supercharged Top Methanol dragsters are grouped. In the bike called the drag bikes there are the classes of Top Fuel Bike ( four-cylinder ) and Top Fuel Super Twin ( two-cylinder ). Nitromethane or is not to be confused with Nitrous Nitrous oxide or (sum formula N2O), nitrous oxide injection.
Dragster
When Dragster is a race car with very long wheelbase (8 m ) and the engine behind the driver. This design is characterized by a good straight out and a relative safety for the driver as the engine is placed behind him and he is protected by a thick metal plate.
Funny Car
Funny Cars on the other hand have a significantly shorter wheelbase and a folding plastic body could remember a lot of imagination to a production vehicle. The engine is placed here in front of the driver which causes a difficulty in handling. Hence the name of this class results through the often spectacular ride over the quarter mile.
Technology
Normal for combustion engines require oxygen from the air and must therefore pump a large amount of air through the engine. The advantage of nitromethane is that it can burn without oxygen, according to the reaction 2 CH3NO2 → 2 CO 2 H2O H2 N2. The resulting hydrogen burns in the outside air, so meter long exhaust flame (header flames ) can occur.
At the motor end the dragster are on a capacity of 500 cui - that is about 8194 cm ³ - limited. The construction of the motors based on the Chrysler Hemi engine from the 1960s and is very simple in design - so there is only one central camshaft which operated via pushrods per two valves per cylinder. Because the evaporative cooling of the injected fuel to the cooling over the short race distance is sufficient, there is in the engine block and cylinder heads no water channels, which increases the stiffness. The maximum power is 6000 kW (about 8160 HP), the drive of the huge compressor alone consumes about 1500 hp. This power can only be achieved in conjunction with racing alcohol, a mixture of 90 % nitromethane and 10% methanol and a motor charging. This also results in a corresponding consumption of about 1.5 gallons ( 5.7 liters ) per second at full load and about 10-12 gallons in a complete run (including burnout ). The motors consume the electrodes of her two, sometimes even three spark plugs per cylinder completely in one run, but this is not a problem because the engines to " diesels " after no more than half of the barrel due to the high compression and the enormously hot exhaust begin, that is to say, the mixture ignites due to the heat on their own. The compressor pushes the fuel-air mixture with a pressure of up to 5 bar in the combustion chambers. In turbocharged road cars boost pressures are to a bar or just above normal. At maximum speed of the engine, the exhaust gases from the open exhaust manifolds generate up to 3.6 kN pressure. The V8 engines specially designed to be disassembled after each run, controlled and some parts, such as bearings, also replaced.
Only those who are absolutely physically fit, must sit behind the wheel of such a racer. The driver loads are comparable to those of astronauts during rocket launch.
- 5 g in the starting phase
- Average 4 g during the entire run
- -6 G in the braking phase with the two brake umbrellas
The sprint from 0-100 mph (160 km / h) s is completed in just under 0.8, after about 200 m about 450 km / h ( 280 mph ) depending on the start and translation already been reached. The strongest vehicles in the North American professional series NHRA reach from the state speeds of up to 530 km / h in about 3.8 seconds.
Records
See: Section Records in Dragster