Quote:

The only way F1 motors rev as high as they do (in excess of 22,000rpm) is because they don't have conventional valvesprings for the crank to have to overcome. Imagine how much power you would have at the wheels if you camshaft and valvetrain were driven by an electric servomotor instead of a crank and chain driven camshaft. That's the way things have been moving and it's remarkably simple to do nowadays.



Here's that detail oriented stickler BradH spoke about coming out in me.

It takes energy to compress a valvespring, yes, but as the valve closes and the spring lengthens, the stored potential energy is then returned to the system...net delta E = 0.

The 'forces' required to move the valves up and down at ultra high rpm are unchanging regardless of what type of valve spring is used. Formula 1 engines don't use mechanical springs because they are unable to handle the frequencies incurred, not because of forces the crank must overcome. The pneumatic springs they use don't have the mechanical limitations of metal, as well as reduce weight in the system.

Last edited by Cogito; 01/16/15 12:44 AM.