Why do F1 racing engines use tungsten crankshafts?
Compared with inexpensive lead, tungsten alloys are not only denser (60% higher than lead), but also less toxic; Compared with the steel block with easy raw material, the density of tungsten alloy is twice that of it, and it has the advantages of high hardness, good wear resistance, strong corrosion resistance, high melting point, high temperature resistance and so on. Therefore, tungsten alloy is a natural choice for crankshaft material. Tungsten alloy crankshafts are often used in the engine design of Formula One racing cars.
The tungsten alloy crankshaft (" crankshaft "for short) is the main rotating part of the crankshaft engine, which can accept the up and down (reciprocating) motion of the connecting rod into the circular (rotating) motion. As the pistons move up and down, the rods and bearings move in a circle, and the crankshaft begins to rotate, which in turn drives the flywheels on the other crankshafts to transmit power. It can be said that the rotation of the crankshaft is the main power source of the engine, but also the energy source of the entire automobile system.
According to different functions, tungsten alloy crankshaft energy can be divided into tungsten alloy counterweight crankshaft and tungsten alloy power crankshaft two categories. The counterweight crankshaft is used to balance the large head of connecting rod, the journal of connecting rod and the crank to produce the rotational inertia force and torque, so that the engine crankshaft runs smoothly. It is worth noting that the counterweight crankshaft can be used alone, bolted to the crankshaft, or can be made into an integral part of the crankshaft, as an extension of the crankshaft. The power crankshaft is attached to the piston and converts the up and down motion of the connecting rod into circular motion to transfer energy and reduce the vibration of the four-stroke engine.
In a F1 racing engine, it is necessary to use counterweights to keep each piston reciprocating and connecting rod in balance, because the engine cannot be used without balance in the engine centre. Each part of the engine rotates with roughly equal gravity, which can only be achieved by using tungsten alloy crankshaft counterweights.
The tungsten alloy crankshaft counterweight can greatly improve the performance of the racing car at high speeds, but its design is extremely careful, such as shape, weight and placement. The special shape helps to reduce turbulence in the crankshaft. The mass and position of the crankshaft counterweight block is determined by the engine's cylinder, structure and ignition sequence.
