World's First Air-Powered Car: Zero Emissions by Next Summer

[Royal Viking]

Looks like an interesting project! ;D

http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/news/preview-concept/4217016

I had heard that someone has done this in the states years ago. I thought the air motor (can it be called an engine?) was pretty interesting.

 

[Mo deller]

Very interesting. I'd have one after they've had a good testing. I dont like being a guinea pig for anything and not sure about sitting on 4350 psi ;D

 

[tel]

Zero emission? You either have to run the electric, on board compressor for 4 hours to fill it or plug unto Servo air, which no doubt is supplied by a hulking great compressor somewhere in the background and they are claiming zero emission? Shifted emission might be a better term.

 

[SAM in LA]

Zero emission? You either have to run the electric, on board compressor for 4 hours to fill it or plug unto Servo air, which no doubt is supplied by a hulking great compressor somewhere in the background and they are claiming zero emission? Shifted emission might be a better term.

Shifted Emission is the correct term.

Very soon, our local power plant will capture CO and then pump it into underground wells. All in the pursuit of Green Energy. Unfortunately, some unlucky people will die when the gas escapes into there homes and asphyxiates them.

 

[Deanofid]

Besides the bald faced, eh, fib about 'zero emissions', there's this little tid-bit;

"all-glue construction".

I'd be afraid the front might fall off.

:

Dean

 

[rickharris]

The air car has been around for a couple of years. The idea was started by a French guy who touted for development money via his web site. The engine idea is ingenious although I have no idea if it actually works:

The engine draws in atmospheric air (the regular kind) and compresses it, it gets hot. It then squirts in a shot of compress air - held at I seem to recall 150 bar in carbon fibre tanks under the floor. - This compressed air cools as it expands and gets heated by the already compressed outside air making it expand to a larger volume than was originally injected providing significant power. He claimed a similar range per charge to a petrol engined car although the cost of charging was of course much lower - It could be charged from a high pressure source at home or garage in 3 or 4 mins or via an inbuilt mains powered compressor in a couple of hours.

As to the glued construction - almost ALL modern aircraft passenger or military are glued together.

http://www.mdi.lu/ here is a video of one running.

 

[tel]

Well he could be right, but I wouldn't throw any money at him just yet.

 

[Stan]

The engine theory of something for nothing was preceded by the pill that let you run your car on water. Which law of physics say that if you mix hot air with cold air you get energy?

 

[mklotz]

The engine draws in atmospheric air (the regular kind) and compresses it, it gets hot.

Let me see if I have this straight. The engine, powered by compressed air, is powering a compressor, which compresses the air that powers the engine.

I can't quite put my finger on it but there seems to be some sort of problem with that arrangement.

 

[Royal Viking]

Let me see if I have this straight. The engine, powered by compressed air, is powering a compressor, which compresses the air that powers the engine.

The link didn't mention anything about that. It's basically an air powered car with an on board air compressor should you need to fill the tanks and cannot get to the rapid fill station. I put the link here because I thought the motor would be of interest. ;D

 

[rickharris]

Not energy for free just a different approach to a growed up air engine. The system for what it's worth appears to work. It has been a long time in development and i don't believe the Indian company would consider manufacture if they hadn't had a good look at it working.

It's just the thought of those 3 very high pressure cylinders under the car in an accident that gets me. Buses have been run on compressed air before.

 

[mklotz]

Looks like...

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-efficiency/vehicles/air-car.htm

they have a gasoline engine that kicks in at speeds above 35 mph. (You just can't beat the energy density of gasoline.)

They say they will start importing them to the USA this year. I can't wait to see one of them on an LA freeway. They'll be popping like balloons when the SUVs run over them. (As it is, I've only once seen a Smart Car on the freeway and the poor bastard driving it looked downright terrified.)

 

[Stan]

I didn't read all of your link Marv but I presume that if we get a four wheel drive, it will have a wobbler on each wheel. If we want to run on air, maybe we should go direct to a stirling or to a lamina. Maybe even a fire eater if we want realistic sound.

All of the zero emission car promoters are trying to convince the public that all that energy comes for free. Nobody is talking about the original energy source and all the losses in multiple conversions.

 

[Royal Viking]

Thanks for the link. That has a lot more information than the one I had posted.

 

[mklotz]

All of the zero emission car promoters are trying to convince the public that all that energy comes for free. Nobody is talking about the original energy source and all the losses in multiple conversions.

Furthermore, they create the impression in the engineering-bereft mind of the consumer that a solution that might just barely work in the tiny, closely packed countries of western Europe could be practical in the wide open spaces of countries like Canada, the USA and Australia.

 

[Deanofid]

As to the glued construction - almost ALL modern aircraft passenger or military are glued together.

Really?
From the Boeing Company's 747 website:

"A 747-400 has six million parts, half of which are fasteners."

Where do they keep those three million fasteners? In the head?

Dean