Toyota Sidepods
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Cooling system
The internals of the Toyota sidepods are clearly visible in this shot, the first thing that strikes me is the unique (in current F1) layout of the coolers. The current trend is to have the coolers vertical and either combines into a single unit to have two separate units (one Oil and One water) staggered inside the duct. The Toyota set up splits the two coolers, the water cooler is unconventionally inclined and sits forward in the duct and is spaced away from the monocoque. The oil cooler sits vertically towards the rear. This layout is reminiscent of Turbo engined F1 cars from the 80’s where the water coolers sat ahead of the turbos Intercooler. The air is fed into the duct via the characteristic two inlets in the front of the sidepod, the inner inlet feeds the oil cooler, the ducts is tall and narrow as it passes between the water raditiator and the monocoque, it then diverges to match the shape the low and wide Oil cooler. The air is fed the water radiator by the outer inlet into a simply shaped duct. This explains the reason for the split inlet although the large spar splitting the inlet may have been more for visual impact, the large stagger between the coolers requires the duct to be split in order to direct the correct volume of flow between the water and oil coolers. The coolers are vented via several outlets in the sidepods. The majority of the flow from the inclined Water Radiator goes over the top of the Oil cooler and through the sidepod to vent out by the gearbox\Diffuser, there are also optional detachable panels in the tops of the sidepods to vent some of the flow with out going over the oil cooler. The majority of the Oil coolers flow also passes through the sidepod, some of the flow can be routed through optional louvers in the lower edge of the sidepod. Sidepod mounted chimneys have been used to vent the flow from both coolers out of the engine\exhaust area. Not yet used but available as a possibility is the full length detachable panel that runs along the sides of the sidepods, which could be replaced with a version with outlets for both the coolers. This Cooler layout allows the coke bottle shape of the sidepods to be more pronounced and the line of the top of the sidepods to sweep down sooner. The choice and positioning of outlets for the cooling flow is more flexible also. However the penalty of the layout is the weight of the water cooler is further from the centre of the car at the expense of the “Polar moment of intertia”. The water radiator may be a light aluminium fabrication but when filled with coolant the weight is considerably increased.
Side Impact Protection
The spar to form part of the side impact protection is clearly visible at the front of the sidepod. The wide spar with a bevelled edge is made in carbon fibre (black Carbon Fibre, rather than the yellow Kevlar of the Sauber).
Exhaust pipe
The routing of one of the exhaust pipes is visible just behind the oil cooler, the routing is similar to the jaguar In that the collector is positioned far forward and the curves tightly to form a horizontal exit pipe, the shape of the secondary exit pipe is quite convoluted as seen on exhaust on the far side of the car.