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Exactly - there are a few around.Quote:
Originally Posted by WhiteD3
Most working models seem to be limited to ~60 km/h and a range of ~100 km. Drag increases with velocity squared, so they get a much longer range if they travel slower.
They work in much the same way as plug in electric vehicles.
My current car is air powered:
It sucks in air for the atmosphere, adds 1/14th the volume of a special refined additive and sets fire to it. The resulting contained expolsion is enough to propell the vehicle forward.:D:D:D
Has anybody else heard of this technology:p:p:p
Ha Ha
Jason
If the technology works (and its a big IF) the oil companies will buy it out and shelve it!!!!;) you can't interfere with the mulinationals profits you know!!!!:mad:
Bulldust.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ausfree
Like plug in electrics, they will fill a niche. There are already plug in electrics with swappable batteries, so instead of pulling into a servo and filling up with petrol/diesel, you can pull in and have your batteries swapped with charged ones. You could do the same with air tanks. The servos already have swap&go BBQ gas...
The oil companies will just diversify. Until recently, BP was the largest manufacturer of solar panels in AU for a long time. They are also investing heavily in biofuels at the moment.
The oil companies also know that it will be a LONG time before we can come up with a viable option to replace diesel/oil for long distance transport
Compressed air engines and vehicles have been around for at least 150 years (usually in limited operations, for example in factories where dangerous materials made steam or IC or even electric impractical). As a method of energy storage it is inherently fairly efficient so it is difficult to see where improvements can come other than in simply using higher pressure storage.
I don't know what pressure is needed to get a useful range, but I suspect it is pretty high. And there are serious risks in handling high pressure air (above 2,000psi).
John
Interesting:
[ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compressed_air_car]Compressed air car - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ausfree
I think it's the governments of the world who will be shelving this sort of technology.
If it costs $3.00 to recharge the tank.... well the Gmen are missing out on around $40.00 of tax, which is probably what they get with petrol / diesel etc..
I can see Hydrogen fuel been pushed as the fuel of the future because motorists are forced to refuel at servo's and.... bada-bing they control that market and will get their tax.
Some articles are talking about 300 bar or 4,500 psi.Quote:
Originally Posted by JDNSW
I agree, you would have to be naive to believe any corporation/government with a vested interest in the status quo would allow some new "breakthrough" technology to take away their profits. Look at LPG the Government were/are giving financial benefits for people to convert their cars to LPG and now as from next year...........yes, it had to come........ they are putting a tax on it which will slowly increase over the next few years.This has serious repercussions in the Taxi/Hire Car industry who have no choice but to pass the costs on to the public!!! Government is not going to miss out on a good thing are they??:mad:Quote:
Originally Posted by Hardchina
As mentioned - the cars all seem to be using 300-350bar. The main advances seem to be making the car and the tanks as light weight as possible (kevlar/carbon fibre air tanks).Quote:
Originally Posted by JDNSW
There is also some room to optimise the compressor design for the application.