The Secret to the 2023 Corvette Z06’s Torque Comes From a German Physicist Born 200 Years Ago
Who would have thought a man born two centuries ago would have such an important role in the performance of the upcoming 2023 Corvette Z06?
German physicist Hermann von Helmholtz deserves the credit for discovering a phenomenon in the 1800s that will help deliver plenty of torque from the Z06’s flat-plane crank 5.5-liter engine, which by the way will become the most powerful naturally aspirated V8 ever built when it debuts later this year.
Automotive writing legend Don Sherman, in the current issue of Automotive Engineering, explains that Helmholtz discovered that air vibrating inside a closed chamber at a pressure slightly above atmospheric pressure produces the sounds emanating from guitars and whistles.
As Muscle Cars and Trucks explains: “In other words, if you tune the length and cross-sectional area of an intake just right for a given engine, the vibrations through the incoming air actually help maintain pressures higher than atmospheric – even naturally aspirated, without the use of forced induction.”
GM engineers used this so-called “Helmholtz resonance” to create the positive intake manifold pressures that inflate the LT6’s torque curve over a broad range, Sherman says.
Inside the plenum, the Z06 uses a complex series of three “communicator” valves with electric servo motors controlled by the ECU, to connect the two identical halves of the plenum together. The first two valves open at the same time under wide-open throttle beginning at about 2,000 RPM, while the third stays shut until 5,800 RPM. These valves take advantage of Helmholtz resonance to force more air into the engine, thus allowing the Z06’s engine to become the most powerful naturally aspirated powerplant ever without having to resort to supercharging.
We normal folks may not understand the science behind the Z06, but suffice it to say that a 200-year-old phenomenon is helping the new Corvette become more powerful with a higher redline and thus a lot more fun to drive.
As Sherman put it: “Herr von Helmholtz, born two centuries ago, clearly deserves a respectful tip of the hat to celebrate his birthday, and to acknowledge those contributions that enabled the small-block V8’s latest leap forward.”
Source:
Muscle Cars and Trucks via Automotive Engineering
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