I will preface this by saying that I don't know if these devices work but
here are my thoughts as to the principle as to their operation. It looks
like the turbulators may be designed to be a boundary layer control device.
By forcing the inlet flow to be turbulent, you get a more 'full' flow
profile and you also mix the flow better thus achieving a more even
distribution of fuel and air. As mentioned in an earlier submittal there
will be drag-loss penalty to pay but this may be offset by an increase in
efficiency by the better mixed flow. Another name for such devices are
vortex generators. They are used extensively on aircraft to control the
flow over the wing.
Paul Bent
61 Frogeye (one of the few apparently!!!)
68 Triumph GT6
-----Original Message-----
From Brad Fornal [mailto:toyman at digitex.net]
Sent: Thursday, November 01, 2001 2:51 PM
To: David Ramsey
Cc: Steve Jones; spridgets@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Turbulators
In reading through this with my brother, I find that I did not describe the
item
correctly. It is supposed to look like a star washer on the inside of the
circle.
The little pieces of metal stick out off of the side of the runner about 1/8
" or
better and are at an angle to create the swirling effect. So it does not
restrict
in the center only off the sides. I would assume that the little star pieces
are
there to break up the droplets that may collect on the side of the runner
and
atomize them before getting past the intake.........
David Ramsey wrote:
> Couldn't have said it better. Restricting the flow even if it means a
better
> mix is not good. Velocity and drag have an exponental relation. For you
> math challenged people that means at 1xV=1xD, 2xV=4xD, 4xV=16xD, ... So at
> low flow rates might help but really bad at higher flow rates.
> Crash
>
> > of them (including the one you mentioned) do so at the cost of reducing
> flow
> > at higher revs by restricting high volume flow.
> > In other words, it works, provided what you want is increased
performance
> > and efficiency at the low end of the rev range by reducing efficiency at
> the
> > high end.
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