i was wondering how do fuel cells work ( racing ones of course).more specifically the pump, does it have a fuel pump built into it or is it a option or do you have to have a external fuel pump any answer are appreciated and any suggestions on cells and pump would be nice to thank you
fuel cells have a sponge-like material inside of them that holds the fuel for two reasons. One is so that the fuel doesn't slosh from side to side during racing. This sloshing could cause the fuel to move away from the pick up tube and air would be sucked into the fuel line causing a power loss. The other reason is safety. In an accident, the fuel would be held into the sponge even if the tank is ripped apart. This keeps raw fuel from dumping onto the track or hot exhaust and creating a fire. You can get fuel cells with an internal electrical pump or they can be used with external electrical or mechanical fuel pumps. It depends on the type of racing and the rules of the governing race commission. Most associations (like Nascar) don't like the idea of an electric fuel pump because it will pump fuel even if the engine has died, so in an accident where the fuel line is broken the pump would spray gas out until the key is turned off, not safe.that is why mechanical pumps are used. If the engine dies, so does the fuel pump.
Normally there is a honeycomb (like foam) inside to keep the fuel from splashing about and a small well at the bottom for the pump. A fuel pump is necessary.
Most fuel cells you can order is for external fuel pumps. Eaither run an elec. pump mounted to chassis, below the fuel cell's sump, or an engine mounted mech. fuel pump I myself run a block mounted carter speedway mech pump that pumps 172 gal per hour. I don't have a fuel cell yet, but its a planned project. I will be running a 16 gal pro street style cell with fuel gauge sender in it, and a bottom, rear sump. -8AN (1/2 dia) braided steel line from cell to a fuel filter, then to an adjustable pressure reg, then to my carb's return style fuel log, then a -6AN (3/8) return line back to the fuel cell. That will be for my pump gas 93 octane I will be spraying up to 300 HP worth of nitrous, and that needs 115 octane fuel, so rather than having to drain my main cell, I'm gonna run the N20 on its own fuel system 2 gal fuel cell under the hood, -6AN line from cell to filter, then to a holley blue elec fuel pump, then to a deadhead pressure reg., from there to my nitrous system's fuel noids. That away engine runs off pump 93, then when spraying the 115 octane sprays in with the nitrous
