Air Powered Engines

[Bcavender]

I have read this site with great enjoyment over the last six months and am very impressed/humbled with the depth and breadth of skills here. I have recently completed a basic machinist course and am ready to tackle a good challenge.

I have an interest in building a compressed air engine as my first project and have been researching old and new designs. Selecting a design is the step I am at now and I am seeking suggestions as to what model to pursue. One that looks interesting:

https://www.engineair.com.au/
All suggestions, advice and comments are welcome! Thank You!

Best regards,
Bruce

 

[stevehuckss396]

If that is what you are interested in, build it. If you pick something that you half heartedly want then you might lose interest and never finish. Pick something that makes you want to get out of that chair and go into the shop. If this engine does that, I say build it.

 

[Piepmechanicus]

It's very interesting, but I guess there is not any drawing. And just like the latest versions of the industrial 'hot air' motor it's production includes a lot of miracles, like inbuilt magnets etc.

 

[Bcavender]

Air motors have less than stellar efficiencies compared to compressed H2 or NatGas, but they have use in specialty enviros where others can’t live like exceptionally high temp situations or where low cost compressed air exists. It’s a niche machine for sure and probably could only be deployed widely via a .gov subsidy. The designer of this model has licensed it in several Far East countries for low torque scooters, etc, but not in the West.

The curved, sliding vanes do look clever.

There are some current industrial models out there:

https://www.bostongear.com/-/media/...83-bg-sections/p-1483-bg-vane-air-motors.ashx