Carn
Drag Racing Champion
- Location
- Jhb, South Africa
Edit : No sorry the CIA had absolutely nothing to do with this...honest :redface:
Found this whilst researching the Carbonio/Oettinger intake system for the Mk V GTI. The section in red is most interesting and actually makes a whole lot of sense to me. Thoughts, comments ? Fire away !
The Origins of The Carbonio System
At the time that we initiated the research and development activities which led to the development of the Carbonio Cold Air Intake (CAI) system we were not concerned with developing a product to put to market. Our original intent was to better understand engine intake properties, and to apply this data towards our race car development efforts.
Material Selection
Early in our research we decided to draw upon the accumulated expertise of the automotive aftermarket industry both here and in Europe to aid in directing our efforts. Through our discussions with various industry insiders we realized that, while existing cold air systems were generally well designed, there was room for considerable improvement. Our competition experience convinced us that more refined design and development procedures, coupled with the use of more advanced materials, would allow us to produce a superior product. From here emerged the Carbonio series of CAI's; the most advanced materials and techniques brought together to create the finest cold air systems currently available.
1. Low thermal conductivity
First and foremost, a CAI system has to keep incoming air as cool as possible if it is to function efficiently. Metallic systems are excellent conductors of heat; they readily transfer engine compartment temperatures to the inside of the intake tract and therefore compromise the intake's performance. Plastic systems are unquestionably better in this regard, but still transfer more heat than a well-designed carbon system. The Carbonio CAI is constructed from multi-layered Pre-peg carbon fiber, and incorporates a proprietary thermal barrier layer in its construction. The system's use of various fiber composites is geared specifically towards keeping the INSIDE of the intake tract as cool as possible.
2. Versatility
Carbon fiber, like plastic, permits a much greater range of manufacturing flexibility than either aluminum or steel. Complex shapes and contours can be produced with great accuracy, allowing for the production of intake shapes which have an unmatched ability to optimize airflow. This versatility allows us to custom design the Carbonio system for specific applications.
3. Strength
In this regard, carbon fiber has no equals, and allows for the production of a component which is half the weight of aluminum and twice the strength of steel. Although high strength and fatigue resistance are not critical to intake performance, we feel it is important to produce a system which is built to last. The use of carbon fiber allows us to create an intake system which is both one of the lightest and most durable on the market.
4. Aesthetics
Here, system performance is not an issue, but customer satisfaction is. Carbon fiber provides a unique look, one which is synonymous throughout the world of motorsport with high quality and high performance. Carbon does not rust or corrode ever, and therefore does not need to be protected by coatings that may chip or crack. Also, minor blemishes or scratches can easily be buffed out of the clear resin layer which protects the underlying fiber.
Design and Development
Traditional Dyno Testing
There is much conflicting information available regarding the relative merits of dyno testing Cold Air Intake systems (CAI's) as a means of assessing their true performance.
Usually, attempts are made to quantify the performance of an intake system by testing a stationary vehicle on a dyno. The results of this testing can be misleading, as there is no forward motion of the vehicle to accurately replicate the airflow around the intake which exists under real driving conditions. While placing fans ahead of the intake does aid in remedying this problem it has, however, two primary shortcomings. Firstly, fans will provide a steady flow of air, whereas dyno testing takes place with an accelerating engine (therefore the speed of the fan should increase proportionally to simulate an accelerating car). Secondly, although creating high wind speeds in a wind tunnel is straightforward, generating the types of speeds required for accurate testing, from a fan placed in front of the vehicle, is extremely difficult.
As an example of the skewed results which traditional dyno testing can produce, a stock airbox will often fare very well compared to a CAI in a dyno test because the shortcomings of the stock setup only become evident as air flow over the filter increases. Because of the limitations of traditional dyno testing, not only are the advantages of a CAI over the stock set up often understated, but the data which is generated is also incomplete, resulting in a CAI system which is under designed and does not perform to its full potential.
A Superior Testing Procedure
The best way to develop a CAI is to begin with real-world testing. By running sensors which measure air temperature and velocity in the induction tract of a moving car, and by recording the results using on-board data acquisition, it is possible to accurately model the characteristics of intake flow. Repeating this procedure with several stock and modified intake systems, and combining this with data generated by Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis, a reliable baseline can be established against which dyno results can be compared.
In order to properly test intakes on the dyno, a system which allows for the simulation of higher wind speeds, and which varies airspeed in relation to engine speed and gearing, must be utilized. A compressed air system (not pure oxygen but regular air), along with special nozzles are employed to release a curtain of air over the area of the vehicle where the intake is located. Compressed gas cools as it escapes so it is important to take this into account as the test is performed. This modified dyno testing procedure, in conjunction with preliminary real-world testing, generates superior results, and forms the basis of a rigorous design and development process which is unmatched in the industry.
The final shape for each Carbonio system is first drawn on the same CATIA software which is utilized by several Formula One teams for critical component design. Once drawn on CATIA, the intake design is transferred to a hardened steel mould, via a CNC milling machine.
Because of the manufacturing process utilized, production of the intake tract is both time consuming and costly. Unlike most commercially available carbon components, which are manufactured using a wet-lay up procedure, the Carbonio CAI is produced using techniques usually reserved for the aerospace and motorsport industries.
The various carbon fiber and thermal barrier layers are hand laid in the mould, vacuum bagged, and baked in an autoclave for several hours. This process creates an ultra-strong component with unmatched production tolerances and finish quality.
Found this whilst researching the Carbonio/Oettinger intake system for the Mk V GTI. The section in red is most interesting and actually makes a whole lot of sense to me. Thoughts, comments ? Fire away !
The Origins of The Carbonio System
At the time that we initiated the research and development activities which led to the development of the Carbonio Cold Air Intake (CAI) system we were not concerned with developing a product to put to market. Our original intent was to better understand engine intake properties, and to apply this data towards our race car development efforts.
Material Selection
Early in our research we decided to draw upon the accumulated expertise of the automotive aftermarket industry both here and in Europe to aid in directing our efforts. Through our discussions with various industry insiders we realized that, while existing cold air systems were generally well designed, there was room for considerable improvement. Our competition experience convinced us that more refined design and development procedures, coupled with the use of more advanced materials, would allow us to produce a superior product. From here emerged the Carbonio series of CAI's; the most advanced materials and techniques brought together to create the finest cold air systems currently available.
1. Low thermal conductivity
First and foremost, a CAI system has to keep incoming air as cool as possible if it is to function efficiently. Metallic systems are excellent conductors of heat; they readily transfer engine compartment temperatures to the inside of the intake tract and therefore compromise the intake's performance. Plastic systems are unquestionably better in this regard, but still transfer more heat than a well-designed carbon system. The Carbonio CAI is constructed from multi-layered Pre-peg carbon fiber, and incorporates a proprietary thermal barrier layer in its construction. The system's use of various fiber composites is geared specifically towards keeping the INSIDE of the intake tract as cool as possible.
2. Versatility
Carbon fiber, like plastic, permits a much greater range of manufacturing flexibility than either aluminum or steel. Complex shapes and contours can be produced with great accuracy, allowing for the production of intake shapes which have an unmatched ability to optimize airflow. This versatility allows us to custom design the Carbonio system for specific applications.
3. Strength
In this regard, carbon fiber has no equals, and allows for the production of a component which is half the weight of aluminum and twice the strength of steel. Although high strength and fatigue resistance are not critical to intake performance, we feel it is important to produce a system which is built to last. The use of carbon fiber allows us to create an intake system which is both one of the lightest and most durable on the market.
4. Aesthetics
Here, system performance is not an issue, but customer satisfaction is. Carbon fiber provides a unique look, one which is synonymous throughout the world of motorsport with high quality and high performance. Carbon does not rust or corrode ever, and therefore does not need to be protected by coatings that may chip or crack. Also, minor blemishes or scratches can easily be buffed out of the clear resin layer which protects the underlying fiber.
Design and Development
Traditional Dyno Testing
There is much conflicting information available regarding the relative merits of dyno testing Cold Air Intake systems (CAI's) as a means of assessing their true performance.
Usually, attempts are made to quantify the performance of an intake system by testing a stationary vehicle on a dyno. The results of this testing can be misleading, as there is no forward motion of the vehicle to accurately replicate the airflow around the intake which exists under real driving conditions. While placing fans ahead of the intake does aid in remedying this problem it has, however, two primary shortcomings. Firstly, fans will provide a steady flow of air, whereas dyno testing takes place with an accelerating engine (therefore the speed of the fan should increase proportionally to simulate an accelerating car). Secondly, although creating high wind speeds in a wind tunnel is straightforward, generating the types of speeds required for accurate testing, from a fan placed in front of the vehicle, is extremely difficult.
As an example of the skewed results which traditional dyno testing can produce, a stock airbox will often fare very well compared to a CAI in a dyno test because the shortcomings of the stock setup only become evident as air flow over the filter increases. Because of the limitations of traditional dyno testing, not only are the advantages of a CAI over the stock set up often understated, but the data which is generated is also incomplete, resulting in a CAI system which is under designed and does not perform to its full potential.
A Superior Testing Procedure
The best way to develop a CAI is to begin with real-world testing. By running sensors which measure air temperature and velocity in the induction tract of a moving car, and by recording the results using on-board data acquisition, it is possible to accurately model the characteristics of intake flow. Repeating this procedure with several stock and modified intake systems, and combining this with data generated by Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis, a reliable baseline can be established against which dyno results can be compared.
In order to properly test intakes on the dyno, a system which allows for the simulation of higher wind speeds, and which varies airspeed in relation to engine speed and gearing, must be utilized. A compressed air system (not pure oxygen but regular air), along with special nozzles are employed to release a curtain of air over the area of the vehicle where the intake is located. Compressed gas cools as it escapes so it is important to take this into account as the test is performed. This modified dyno testing procedure, in conjunction with preliminary real-world testing, generates superior results, and forms the basis of a rigorous design and development process which is unmatched in the industry.
The final shape for each Carbonio system is first drawn on the same CATIA software which is utilized by several Formula One teams for critical component design. Once drawn on CATIA, the intake design is transferred to a hardened steel mould, via a CNC milling machine.
Because of the manufacturing process utilized, production of the intake tract is both time consuming and costly. Unlike most commercially available carbon components, which are manufactured using a wet-lay up procedure, the Carbonio CAI is produced using techniques usually reserved for the aerospace and motorsport industries.
The various carbon fiber and thermal barrier layers are hand laid in the mould, vacuum bagged, and baked in an autoclave for several hours. This process creates an ultra-strong component with unmatched production tolerances and finish quality.
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