Pneumatic Valve Actuators

[Utgarhoth at aol.com]

All modern F1 engines use pneumatic valve actuators.  This, of course,
requires an air compressor on board, and some very fast, high-precision
pneumatic valvegear. This allows them to vary the timing profiles and turn 16
to 18 thousand RPM and make rediculous amounts of power.  Expect to pay half
a million dollars to adapt your current engine, though.  Pushrods and rocker
arms are good for 8500-9000 RPM and overhead cams up to 12 or 14 thousand, if
properly designed.  I would stick to one of these conventional technologies.

As for solenoid or electro-hydraulic actuation, they have both been done.
 The real problem here, though, is the vast amount of energy required by the
electrical circuts to power them at high RPM.

                                          --- R. Andrew Broadhurst