Specifications

4A – Internal Combustion Engines
Article 72: Propulsion
The type or design of the internal combustion engines is not restricted, however
they must run only on the fuel provided by the Organisers and must not
consume any engine oil.
Article 73: Other on-board energy sources
• For all fuel categories, stored electrical or pneumatic energy not replaced
during the competition by the engine may only be used for the self-starter,
the ignition, the injector, the instrumentation, the horn and electronic
management systems.
• Fuel pumps are permitted for all fuels provided they are mechanically driven
by the engine only.
• It is permitted to pressurise the liquid fuel tanks, in order to feed the engine,
only under the following conditions:
• Pressurisation is done by means of a translucent compressed air bottle fitted
with a safety valve set to 5 bars maximum. It must include a standard valve
as used for car tyres in order to enable verification/control of the pressure
setting for the safety valve. The said pressurisation is done in the starting
area by means of an air pump. The Driver must not modify the pressure
during the competition.
• Auxiliary energy sources (chemical, latent energy from phase changes, etc.)
are not permitted.
• If the engine temperature is regulated, the said regulation should be limited
to the use of pure, un-pressurised water as coolant. The external regulation
temperature of the engine (for engines thus equipped) is limited to 100°C.
• It is forbidden to use a battery-powered electrical pump to ensure oil or water
circulation in the engine, except in cases where this pump is only used when
the engine is being started.
Comment: For 2012 the use of electric fuel pumps creating higher
injection pressures is under consideration. They will only be allowed if
the entire system (tank, fuel lines, pump, injector) can be easily and
safely removed from the vehicle for weighing purposes.
Article 74: Fuel Tanks (with the exception of Hydrogen)
• The vehicle must be equipped with only one of the following approved fuel
tanks supplied by the Organisers:
Tank capacities: Prototype: 30, 100 or 250cc
UrbanConcept: 30, 100, 250 or 350cc
• Only tanks bearing a clearly visible stamp proving its "APAVE"* certification
compliance can be used for pressurised systems.
APAVE: This organisation tests fuel tanks and certifies their
ability to withstand a pressure of 5 bar (72.4 psi).
• The fuel tank has to be mounted in an accessible and zero degree vertical
position which allows in-situ filling with a burette of approx 1 metre height.
• The fuel tank must be mounted in a way that its top is at least 5cm below
the roll bar.
• The fuel tank cap, whether it is leak proof or not (drilled), must be in place at
all times during the competition.
Note that for gravity fed systems a small (<3mm) hole should be
drilled in the centre of the cap to allow air to enter the tank, hence
allow fuel out!
Shell Eco-marathon ® Official Rules 2011 – Chapter 1
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