I think, If they want to change the compressor size this year and it nolonger will fit in the V, then the only choice is to move it to the back. Moving it to the front would require shortening the distance between the the ICE and the rear wheels. Just something you can't do during the year (short Transmission, longer wheel base or some other way).Craigy wrote:Moving anything anywhere by definition requires changes to the car, but this would be a smaller change than moving the compressor to the front.hemichromis wrote:Wouldn't moving the compressor to the back also require changes to the car?
Putting the compressor and turbine closer together than opposite ends of the engine means a smaller common shaft too, so smaller engineering challenges in that area.
I suspect it's aerodynamically beneficial to have less PU componentry at the back due to ducting and pipework, but I've also no doubt it can be made to work either way: Merc vs. Ferrari proves that either works (OK, Merc is ahead but both engines are pretty competitive). What seems fairly clear is that Honda's original packaging idea isn't working, so something's going to have to change.
Moving it to the back. The only thing that would be feasible with the tokens they have to spend, would be moving the compressor behind the turbine. Everything else would stay where it is. The compressor will feel the heat from the exhaust and the turbine being there so it isn't ideal. They can feed the compressed air into the inter-cooler in the side pods and backup into the intake from there..... Not sure how the exhaust would work though.
I can't see moving the compressor to the back being anything more than a compromised solution with the tokens they have available.