106 mpg Air Car creates buzz, questions . . .
08-08-08, 10:20 AM
#1
Super Moderator
Thread Starter
106 mpg Air Car creates buzz, questions . . .
08-08-08, 12:52 PM
#2
Lexus Champion
interesting.....
(CNN) -- You've heard of hybrids, electric cars and vehicles that can run on vegetable oil. But of all the contenders in the quest to produce the ultimate fuel-efficient car, this could be the first one to let you say, "Fill it up with air."
The compressed air car planned for the U.S. market would be a six-seater, a New York company says.
That's the idea behind the compressed air car, a vehicle its backers say could achieve a fuel economy of 106 miles per gallon.
Plenty of skepticism exists, but with many Americans trying to escape sticker shock at the gas pump, the concept is generating buzz.
The technology has been the focus of MDI, a European company founded in 1991 by a French inventor and former race car engineer.
New York-based Zero Pollution Motors is the first firm to obtain a license from MDI to produce the cars in the United States, pledging to deliver the first models in 2010 at a price tag of less than $18,000.
The concept is similar to how a locomotive works, except that compressed air -- not steam -- moves the engine's pistons, said Shiva Vencat, vice president of MDI and CEO of Zero Pollution Motors.
Gas still plays a role
The six-seater planned for the U.S. market would be able to reach speeds of more than 90 mph and have a range of more than 800 miles thanks to a dual energy engine, Vencat said. Watch what a prototype looks like and why the cars may take off in cities »
The design calls for one or more tanks of compressed air under the car's floor, as well as a separate tank holding at least 8 gallons of fuel.
Whether the engine uses just air or both air and fuel would depend on how fast the car is going. It would run purely on compressed air when driven at speeds less than 35 mph, Vencat said.
Since the car could only go a short distance when using just air, fuel is needed to get the full range, he explained.
"Above 35 mph, there is an external combustion system which is basically a heater that uses a little bit of gasoline or biofuel or ethanol or vegetable oil that will heat the air," Vencat said.
"Heating the air increases its volume, and by increasing its volume it increases [the car's] range. That's why with one gallon of gasoline or its equivalent we are able to make over 100 mpg."
Vencat said an on-board compressor would refill the air tank while the car is running, or owners could refill it by plugging it into a power outlet for four hours.
Is it for real?
Experts aren't sure Americans will be zipping around in air cars and getting 106 mpg, or more than twice the fuel economy of hybrid-electric vehicles such as the Toyota Prius.
It is possible to power a car with compressed air, but the mileage claim is "at the edge of possibility," said John Callister, director of the Harvey Kinzelberg Entrepreneurship in Engineering program at Cornell University's College of Engineering.
He noted such dramatic fuel efficiency is associated with tiny experimental cars, not bigger mainstream ones.
Who would build it?
• Production would be similar to a franchise business
• The cars would be manufactured by privately owned plants that could produce at least 4,000 vehicles a year
• The cost of a license to build the car in an "exclusive geographical area" in the United States is about $460,000
• Geographical areas are defined by 110,000 new vehicle registrations. For example, Georgia could have four plants at most, but there could be 15 in California
• The cost of a plant is $20 million
• The first plant is scheduled to be built in New York in 2010
Source: Shiva Vencat, vice president of MDI and CEO of Zero Pollution Motors
"No one's really proven a six-seater passenger car [can get] any better than 75 miles to the gallon. So this would represent a big step forward," Callister said.
"They would have to prove that before they can throw rocks at the Prius."
Another expert expressed concern about the amount of energy it would take to generate the required air pressure: 4,500 pounds per square inch, or more than 120 times the pressure inside the tires of a typical four-door sedan.
"That is above what you normally find even in an industrial setting," said William Bulpitt, senior research engineer at the Georgia Institute of Technology's Strategic Energy Institute.
"That takes quite a compressor to do. ... It takes horsepower to compress the air up to that pressure."
If you count that energy, it's hard to believe the car would be that much more efficient than an electric vehicle, Callister said.
India shows interest
The compressed air car will get a chance to prove itself next year when it competes for the Automotive X Prize. The multimillion-dollar award will go to the team that "can win a stage race for clean, production-capable vehicles that exceed 100 mpg equivalent fuel economy," according to the X Prize Foundation.
The air-car concept has also drawn the interest of Tata Motors, India's largest automaker. The company announced an agreement with MDI last year to further develop and refine the technology.
However, the cars have yet to hit the streets in India or anywhere else in the world.
"The project is under progress. We do not yet have any timeframe for launch," said Debasis Ray, the head of corporate communications for Tata Motors.
Only prototypes exist at this point, Vencat said.
Light design
The body of the car planned for the United States would be built with fiberglass and injected foam. The chassis, composed of aluminum rods, would be glued together, not welded.
The design allows the car to be as light as possible, Vencat said.
For anyone who has doubts about its safety, he insisted computer simulations show the vehicle would pass crash tests and meet all U.S. safety standards.
"Do you think somebody would actually put millions of dollars into making a car that will not pass safety regulations? There's no point in doing that," Vencat said.
Callister pointed out there haven't been any lightweight, 100-plus mpg cars to pass crash tests, but said it could be done through a "very clever design" of a lightweight frame.
A good prototype could dispel many of the doubts about the compressed air car, he added.
"I don't think we should discount this advance if it happens," Callister said.
(CNN) -- You've heard of hybrids, electric cars and vehicles that can run on vegetable oil. But of all the contenders in the quest to produce the ultimate fuel-efficient car, this could be the first one to let you say, "Fill it up with air."
The compressed air car planned for the U.S. market would be a six-seater, a New York company says.
That's the idea behind the compressed air car, a vehicle its backers say could achieve a fuel economy of 106 miles per gallon.
Plenty of skepticism exists, but with many Americans trying to escape sticker shock at the gas pump, the concept is generating buzz.
The technology has been the focus of MDI, a European company founded in 1991 by a French inventor and former race car engineer.
New York-based Zero Pollution Motors is the first firm to obtain a license from MDI to produce the cars in the United States, pledging to deliver the first models in 2010 at a price tag of less than $18,000.
The concept is similar to how a locomotive works, except that compressed air -- not steam -- moves the engine's pistons, said Shiva Vencat, vice president of MDI and CEO of Zero Pollution Motors.
Gas still plays a role
The six-seater planned for the U.S. market would be able to reach speeds of more than 90 mph and have a range of more than 800 miles thanks to a dual energy engine, Vencat said. Watch what a prototype looks like and why the cars may take off in cities »
The design calls for one or more tanks of compressed air under the car's floor, as well as a separate tank holding at least 8 gallons of fuel.
Whether the engine uses just air or both air and fuel would depend on how fast the car is going. It would run purely on compressed air when driven at speeds less than 35 mph, Vencat said.
Since the car could only go a short distance when using just air, fuel is needed to get the full range, he explained.
"Above 35 mph, there is an external combustion system which is basically a heater that uses a little bit of gasoline or biofuel or ethanol or vegetable oil that will heat the air," Vencat said.
"Heating the air increases its volume, and by increasing its volume it increases [the car's] range. That's why with one gallon of gasoline or its equivalent we are able to make over 100 mpg."
Vencat said an on-board compressor would refill the air tank while the car is running, or owners could refill it by plugging it into a power outlet for four hours.
Is it for real?
Experts aren't sure Americans will be zipping around in air cars and getting 106 mpg, or more than twice the fuel economy of hybrid-electric vehicles such as the Toyota Prius.
It is possible to power a car with compressed air, but the mileage claim is "at the edge of possibility," said John Callister, director of the Harvey Kinzelberg Entrepreneurship in Engineering program at Cornell University's College of Engineering.
He noted such dramatic fuel efficiency is associated with tiny experimental cars, not bigger mainstream ones.
Who would build it?
• Production would be similar to a franchise business
• The cars would be manufactured by privately owned plants that could produce at least 4,000 vehicles a year
• The cost of a license to build the car in an "exclusive geographical area" in the United States is about $460,000
• Geographical areas are defined by 110,000 new vehicle registrations. For example, Georgia could have four plants at most, but there could be 15 in California
• The cost of a plant is $20 million
• The first plant is scheduled to be built in New York in 2010
Source: Shiva Vencat, vice president of MDI and CEO of Zero Pollution Motors
"No one's really proven a six-seater passenger car [can get] any better than 75 miles to the gallon. So this would represent a big step forward," Callister said.
"They would have to prove that before they can throw rocks at the Prius."
Another expert expressed concern about the amount of energy it would take to generate the required air pressure: 4,500 pounds per square inch, or more than 120 times the pressure inside the tires of a typical four-door sedan.
"That is above what you normally find even in an industrial setting," said William Bulpitt, senior research engineer at the Georgia Institute of Technology's Strategic Energy Institute.
"That takes quite a compressor to do. ... It takes horsepower to compress the air up to that pressure."
If you count that energy, it's hard to believe the car would be that much more efficient than an electric vehicle, Callister said.
India shows interest
The compressed air car will get a chance to prove itself next year when it competes for the Automotive X Prize. The multimillion-dollar award will go to the team that "can win a stage race for clean, production-capable vehicles that exceed 100 mpg equivalent fuel economy," according to the X Prize Foundation.
The air-car concept has also drawn the interest of Tata Motors, India's largest automaker. The company announced an agreement with MDI last year to further develop and refine the technology.
However, the cars have yet to hit the streets in India or anywhere else in the world.
"The project is under progress. We do not yet have any timeframe for launch," said Debasis Ray, the head of corporate communications for Tata Motors.
Only prototypes exist at this point, Vencat said.
Light design
The body of the car planned for the United States would be built with fiberglass and injected foam. The chassis, composed of aluminum rods, would be glued together, not welded.
The design allows the car to be as light as possible, Vencat said.
For anyone who has doubts about its safety, he insisted computer simulations show the vehicle would pass crash tests and meet all U.S. safety standards.
"Do you think somebody would actually put millions of dollars into making a car that will not pass safety regulations? There's no point in doing that," Vencat said.
Callister pointed out there haven't been any lightweight, 100-plus mpg cars to pass crash tests, but said it could be done through a "very clever design" of a lightweight frame.
A good prototype could dispel many of the doubts about the compressed air car, he added.
"I don't think we should discount this advance if it happens," Callister said.
08-08-08, 02:08 PM
#7
Out of Warranty
I have a question about these air motors that may not have been addressed in public. How are they lubricated? I'm working up a set of service manuals for several oilfield tools this month, some of which are equipped with one or a pair of air motors and they have some rather unique needs in heavy industrial service that you might not see in an impact tool or similar shop tool.
Most of the "air cars" I've seen use a piston-type motor similar to a 2-cycle gasoline engine that is considerably less efficient than the vane-type motor for production of raw power. An vane-type air motor about the size of a tomato can will produce about 7-9 hp in stock form, or with a little tinkering with valve ports (think hot-rodding a Mazda rotary here) can produce over twice that figure - if you can tolerate the noise.
Photo Courtesy IR Tools
Conventional vane-type air motors such as those manufactured by IR or Chicago Pneumatic, use a filter, regulator and a "lubricator" that injects a fine oil mist into the "intake" air to keep all of the parts moving freely. The oil is ordinarily anything handy - 10W-30 works just fine, but every few months you are directed to pour a pint of kerosene or diesel into the air lines to blow through the motor to dislodge the accumulation of gunk. The big high-flow filters and water traps ahead of the lubricator clean up the air stream and a regulator maintains a constant pressure available at WOT.
Anyone with experience with air tools in a shop or air brakes on a vehicle knows that compressing and expanding air usually wrings a lot of water out of it - water that can corrode piping and even internal surfaces of the motor. You have to drain these water sumps daily, particularly in a damp climate. I wonder if an air motor in a car requires the same - it's not enough just to ensure the air that enters the tank is clean and dry, in the real world, you have to clean and dry the air every time you handle it. I don't know, but I assume that even a piston-type air motor is pretty finicky about its diet.
The reason is the extremely fine tolerances built into an air motor of any kind. Leaks and blow-by destroy performance. Assembling one requires some pretty judicious use of feeler gauges and shims to be sure component spacing is within spec. For comparison, a similar hydraulic motor of the same output is about as complex, but can be assembled by a blacksmith. Working on a precision air motor requires something a lot closer to the skills of a watchmaker. Tolerances are surprisingly wide with 2000-3000 psi hydraulics, but 100-150 psi air is another matter. Costs vary a lot too - the air motor is at least 2 or 3 times the cost of a comparable hydraulic motor. From a dead stop, a hydraulic motor can apply a TON of torque, while the air motor is no slouch, it generally depends on its higher speed and larger geartrain to make the power.
If you don't think a little air motor can produce a LOT of power, I've seen pretty respectable gearcases shattered by a sudden stop under full power or a seized bearing on the output shaft. One piece of the equipment I'm working on uses a multiplate wet clutch just to dissipate the impact load of a sudden stop. Air power with all of those delicate internal parts sounds pretty sissy, compared to a big honkin' V8, but it quickly gets your respect when you see what it can do. For short-range urban use, "air cars" might have an application.
Most of the "air cars" I've seen use a piston-type motor similar to a 2-cycle gasoline engine that is considerably less efficient than the vane-type motor for production of raw power. An vane-type air motor about the size of a tomato can will produce about 7-9 hp in stock form, or with a little tinkering with valve ports (think hot-rodding a Mazda rotary here) can produce over twice that figure - if you can tolerate the noise.
Photo Courtesy IR Tools
Conventional vane-type air motors such as those manufactured by IR or Chicago Pneumatic, use a filter, regulator and a "lubricator" that injects a fine oil mist into the "intake" air to keep all of the parts moving freely. The oil is ordinarily anything handy - 10W-30 works just fine, but every few months you are directed to pour a pint of kerosene or diesel into the air lines to blow through the motor to dislodge the accumulation of gunk. The big high-flow filters and water traps ahead of the lubricator clean up the air stream and a regulator maintains a constant pressure available at WOT.
Anyone with experience with air tools in a shop or air brakes on a vehicle knows that compressing and expanding air usually wrings a lot of water out of it - water that can corrode piping and even internal surfaces of the motor. You have to drain these water sumps daily, particularly in a damp climate. I wonder if an air motor in a car requires the same - it's not enough just to ensure the air that enters the tank is clean and dry, in the real world, you have to clean and dry the air every time you handle it. I don't know, but I assume that even a piston-type air motor is pretty finicky about its diet.
The reason is the extremely fine tolerances built into an air motor of any kind. Leaks and blow-by destroy performance. Assembling one requires some pretty judicious use of feeler gauges and shims to be sure component spacing is within spec. For comparison, a similar hydraulic motor of the same output is about as complex, but can be assembled by a blacksmith. Working on a precision air motor requires something a lot closer to the skills of a watchmaker. Tolerances are surprisingly wide with 2000-3000 psi hydraulics, but 100-150 psi air is another matter. Costs vary a lot too - the air motor is at least 2 or 3 times the cost of a comparable hydraulic motor. From a dead stop, a hydraulic motor can apply a TON of torque, while the air motor is no slouch, it generally depends on its higher speed and larger geartrain to make the power.
If you don't think a little air motor can produce a LOT of power, I've seen pretty respectable gearcases shattered by a sudden stop under full power or a seized bearing on the output shaft. One piece of the equipment I'm working on uses a multiplate wet clutch just to dissipate the impact load of a sudden stop. Air power with all of those delicate internal parts sounds pretty sissy, compared to a big honkin' V8, but it quickly gets your respect when you see what it can do. For short-range urban use, "air cars" might have an application.
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08-08-08, 07:51 PM
#9
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmqpGZv0YT4
It actually works...
Glad to see he's bringing them to the US.
It actually works...
Glad to see he's bringing them to the US.
08-09-08, 07:14 AM
#11
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Just another technology that will be haulted by oil companies.
If not for the massive influence of oil companies, we would have been in 100 mpg cars (or non gas powered cars) for years now.
They have already bought out advanced battery technologies as well as other actions to keep themselves in business.
If not for the massive influence of oil companies, we would have been in 100 mpg cars (or non gas powered cars) for years now.
They have already bought out advanced battery technologies as well as other actions to keep themselves in business.
08-09-08, 07:28 AM
#12
Out of Warranty
The oil companies are not threatened by "air power" - after all, something has to drive that compressor. Eventually it has to come from a primary resource, of which right now oil and gas are the leaders. Wind, water, solar, and geothermal along with nuclear are the new primary energy resources, edging out coal and wood as fuels. Air, electric, and to a large extent, ethanol and biomass, depend on primary energy for their production.
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