|
One
dragster's 500-inch Hemi makes more horsepower than the
first 8 rows at Daytona.
Under
full throttle, a dragster engine consumes 1 1/2 gallons
of nitro per second, the same rate of fuel consumption as
a fully loaded 747 but with 4 times the energy volume.
The
flame front of nitro methane measures 7050 degrees F.
Nitro
methane burns yellow. The spectacular white flame seen above
the stacks at night is raw burning hydrogen, dissociated
from atmospheric water vapor by the searing exhaust gases.
To
exceed 300mph in 4.5 seconds dragsters must accelerate at
an average of over 4G's. But in reaching 200 mph well before
1/2 track, launch acceleration is closer to 8G's.
|
