Interesting new concept car-runs on compressed air

In summary, the interesting new concept car runs on compressed "air" which is said to have low emissions. It is unclear how much energy can be extracted from compressed gas, but it is likely that a petrol or battery-powered engine would be more efficient. It is also unclear how high flight could be achieved with use of wing effect technology.
  • #1
pack-rat
13
0
Interesting new concept car-runs on compressed "air"

link here : http://www.theaircar.com/

thoughts ?
 
Engineering news on Phys.org
  • #2
I find it telling that the link to the 'thermodynamics' details is dead.

Who knows though. There is nothing that says that compressed air couldn't be used to power a car, it's just a matter of harvestable energy.
 
  • #3
The website says: "Although a number dates have been released to the media in the past, the programme required some more time to complete."

That is usually not a good sign.
 
  • #4
So let's see if I've got this right. I don't know how much energy can be extracted from compressed gas, but my guess is PV/2. (Correct me if I'm horribly wrong) The tank is 100 litres [tex](0.1m^3)[/tex] at 300 atmospheres [tex](3.10^7 pascals)[/tex]. That gives 1.5 megajoules of energy (less than half a kilowatt hour). A car battery can hold more than twice as much and a single litre of petrol gives more than ten times as much. They claim to be able to do 300 km, so that's 5000 J/km. When cycling I would expect to use about [tex]10^5 J/km[/tex]. Must be an amazing design! :uhh:
 
  • #6
Hi sry i am relatively new here. I didn't know this was posted here before.
 
  • #7
it should probably work the same basic way as a steam engine, as that just heats wather to make compressed water vapor
 
  • #8
And a petrol engine effectively does the same thing too, - heating air to compress it (in a roundabout kinda way), the resulting expansion driving a piston. The key difference is the way the air, steam or whatever, is given its energy.
 
  • #9
Many years ago I heard Paul Harvey hype such a thing. It was bragged up and was mentioned that it's emissions were non-existant. I thought it was goofy at the time and I still do. Energy of some sort is spent on compressing the air to begin with.
 
  • #10
using wing effect technology, what would be the best thrust motor. one that is in the front or in the back of the aircraft.
how could one get a higher level of flight from the use of wig technology?
 
  • #11
:confused:
jjrwilliams said:
using wing effect technology, what would be the best thrust motor. one that is in the front or in the back of the aircraft.
how could one get a higher level of flight from the use of wig technology?[/QUOTE
 

1. What is a compressed air car?

A compressed air car is a vehicle that runs on compressed air instead of traditional fuels like gasoline or diesel.

2. How does a compressed air car work?

A compressed air car uses a tank of compressed air to power its engine. The air is released under pressure, which moves pistons and creates mechanical energy to power the car.

3. Are compressed air cars environmentally friendly?

Compressed air cars are considered to be more environmentally friendly than traditional fuel vehicles because they do not emit harmful pollutants or contribute to climate change. However, the process of compressing air and producing the energy to do so can still have some environmental impact.

4. How far can a compressed air car travel on one tank?

The range of a compressed air car can vary depending on the size of the tank and the efficiency of the engine. On average, a compressed air car can travel up to 125 miles on one tank of compressed air.

5. Are there any drawbacks to using a compressed air car?

Some potential drawbacks of compressed air cars include the limited range compared to traditional fuel vehicles, the need for specialized infrastructure for refueling, and the energy required to compress the air. Additionally, the technology is still in its early stages and may not be as reliable or widely available as traditional fuel vehicles.

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