amit report air car

Introduction We know that our world is facing fuel crisis now. All kinds of

conventional source of fuels are on the verge of exhaustion. Gasoline

which has been the main source of fuel for the history of cars, is

becoming more and more expensive. These factors are leading car

manufacturers to develop cars fueled by alternative energies. An Air

Car is a car that can run on compressed air alone without the use of

conventional fuels used in present day automobiles. The car is

powered by an air engine. The air engine is an emission-free piston

engine using compressed air. The engines are similar to steam

engines as they use the expansion of externally supplied pressurized

gas to perform work against a piston.

For practical application to transportation, several technical problems must be first addressed:

As the pressurized air expands, it is cooled, which limits the efficiency. This cooling reduces the amount of energy that can be recovered by expansion, so practical engines apply ambient heat to increase the expansion available.

Conversely, the compression of the air by pumps (to pressurize the tanks) will heat the air. If this heat is not recovered it represents a further loss of energy and so reduces efficiency.

Storage of air at high pressure requires strong containers, which if not made of exotic materials will be heavy, reducing vehicle efficiency, while exotic materials (such as carbon fibre composites) tend to be expensive.

Energy recovery in a vehicle during braking by compressing air also generates heat, which must be conserved for efficiency.

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It should be noted that the air engine is not truly emission-free, since the power to compress the air initially usually involves emissions at the point of generation.

History:Compressed air has been used since the 19th century to power mine locomotives, and was previously the basis of naval torpedo propulsion. Yet even two centuries before that Dennis Papin apparently came up with the idea of using compressed air (1687).

In 1903, the Liquid Air Company located in London England manufactured a number of compressed air and liquefied air cars. The major problem with these cars and all compressed air cars is the lack of torque produced by the "engines" and the cost of compressing the air.

Recently several companies have started to develop compressed air cars, although none have been released to the public, or have been tested by third parties.

It cannot be claimed that compressed air as an energy and locomotion vector is precisely recent technology. In fact at the end of the 19th century the first approximations to what could one day become a compressed air driven vehicle already existed, through the arrival of the first pneumatic locomotives.

The first recorded compressed-air vehicle in France was built by the Frenchmen Andraud and Tessie of Motay in 1838. A car ran on a test track at Chaillot on the 9th July 1840, and worked well, but the idea was not pursued further.

Also in 1896, Porter supplied ten compressed air motor cars for the Eckington System in Washington, D.C. There was a tank on the front of the engine and it was recharged at the station.

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Between 1890 and 1902 ten compressed air trams circulated in Bern, Switzerland.

Charles B. Hodges will always be remembered as the true father of the compressed air concept applied to cars, being the first person, not only to invent a car driven by a compressed air engine but also to have considerable commercial success with it.

After years of working on a system for driving an automobile by means of compressed air Louis C. Kiser, a 77 year old from Decatur USA has succeeded in converting his gasoline engine into an air compressed system. Kiser removed the entire gasoline line, the cylinder head, water-cooling system, and self-starter. A special cylinder head is substituted and a compressed-air tank added in place of the gasoline tank.

In 1926 Lee Barton Williams of Pittsburgh USA presented his invention: an automobile which, he claims runs on air. The motor starts on gasoline, but after it has reached a speed of ten miles an hour the gasoline supply is shut off and the air starts to work. At the first test his invention attained a speed of 62 miles an hour.

The first hybrid diesel and compressed air locomotive appeared in 1930, in Germany. The pressures brought to bear by the oil industry in the transport sector were ever greater and the truth of the matter is that they managed to block investigation in this field.

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http://www.theaircar.com/imagenes/historia/Lee_Barton_Williams.jpg

In 1976 Ray Starbard from Vacaville, California developed a truck that is able to drive on compressed air. He felt that he had invented the power system of the future, a system that would greatly change the automotive face of the world. ´It’s the car of the future, there’s absolutely no doubt in my mind´

In 1979, Terry Miller decided that compressed air was the perfect medium for storing energy. He developed Air Car One, which he built for $ 1,500. Terry’s engines showed that it was feasible to manufacture a car that could run on compressed air. He patented his method in 1983.

Currently the tram association in Bern Switzerland (BTG) is developing a locomotive according to the original plans. It is expected to be ready in 2010. At present various persons and companies are developing compressed air motors applicable to transportation, apart from the many companies that produce and commercialize compressed air motors for industrial purposes.

Engine design: It uses the expansion of compressed air to drive the pistons in a modified piston engine. Efficiency of operation is gained through the use of environmental heat at normal temperature to warm the otherwise cold expanded air from the storage tank. This non-adiabatic expansion has the potential to greatly increase the efficiency of the machine. The only exhaust gas is cold air (−15 °C), which may also be used for air conditioning in a car. The source for air is a pressurized glass or carbon-fiber tank holding air at around 3,000 lbf/in² (20 MPa). Air is delivered to the engine via a rather conventional injection system. Unique crank design within the engine increases the time during which the air charge is warmed from

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ambient sources and a two stage process allows improved heat transfer rates.

The Armando Regusci's version of the air engine has several advantages over the original Guy Nègre's one. In the initial Guy Nègre's air engine, one piston compresses air from the atmosphere, holding it on a small container that feeds the high pressure air tanks with a small amount of air. Then that portion of the air is sent to the second piston where it works. During compression for heating it up, there is a loss of energy due to the fact that it cannot receive energy from the atmosphere as the atmosphere is less warm than it. Also, it has to expand as it has the crank. The Guy Nègre's air engine works with constant torque, and the only way to change the torque to the wheels is to use a pulley transmission of constant variation, losing efficiency. In the Regusci's version, the transmission system is direct to the wheel, and has variable torque from zero to the maximum with all the efficiency. When vehicle is stopped, Guy Nègre's engine has to be on and working, losing energy, while the Regusci's version has not.

In July 2004, Guy Nègre abandoned his original design, and showed later a new design where he stated to have it invented back in year 2001, but his new design is identical to the Armando Regusci's air engine which was patented back in 1989 (Uruguay) with the patent number 22976, and back in 1990 (Argentina). In those same patents, it is mentioned the use of electrical motors to compress air in the tanks.

Working:Air powered cars run on compressed air instead of gasoline. Since the

car is working on air there is no pollution. A two cylinder, compressed

air engine, powers the car. The engine can run either on compressed

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air alone or act as an internal combustion engine. Compressed air is

stored in fiber or glass fiber tanks at a pressure of 4351 pounds per

square inch. The air is fed through an air injector to the engine and

flows into a small chamber, which expands the air. The air pushing

down on the piston moves the crankshaft, which gives the vehicle

power.

This car is also working on a hybrid version of their engine that can

run on traditional fuel in combination with air. The change of energy

source is controlled electronically. When the car is moving at speeds

below 60kph, it runs on air. At higher speeds, it runs on a fuel such as

gasoline diesel or natural gas.

Process:-

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1. The first piston takes in ambient air and compresses it to

approximately 300 psi and in the compression chamber during

the first cycle of the engine.

2. When the piston pause, a small amount of compressed air

from the tanks is released into the expansion chamber to create a

low pressured, low temperature volume of about 140psi.

3. Shortly before the valve to the exhaust cylinder is opened, a

high-speed shutter connects the compression and expansion

chambers. The sudden pressure and temperature difference

between the low chambers creates pressure waves in the

expansion chamber, thereby producing work in the exhaust

chamber that drives the piston to power the engine.

The air tanks for storing the compressed air are localized

underneath the vehicle. They are constructed of reinforced carbon

fiber with a thermoplastic liner. Each tank can hold 3,180 ft3 of air at

a pressure of up to 4,300 psi. When connected to a special

compressor station, the tanks can be recharged within 3-4 minutes.

They can also be recharged using the on-board compressor 3-4

hours after connecting to a standard power outlet.

Basic principle of cat engine:It uses an innovative system to control the movement of the 2nd generation pistons and one single crankshaft. The pistons work in

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two stages - one motor stage and one intermediate stage of compression/expansion. The engine has 4 two-stage pistons, i.e. 8compression and/or expansion chambers. They have two functions: to compress ambient air and refill the storage tanks; and to make successive expansions (reheating air with ambient thermal energy) there by approaching isothermal expansion. Figure 3 shows the compressed air engine.

Two technologies have been developed to meet different needs:

: - Single energy compressed air engines; and

: - Dual energy compressed air plus fuel engines.

The single energy engines will be available in both Minicats and City cats. These engines have been conceived for city use, where the maximum speed is 50 km/h and where MDI believes polluting will soon be prohibited.

The dual energy engine, on the other hand, has been conceived as much for the city as the open road and will be available in all MDI vehicles. The engines will work exclusively with compressed air while it is running under 50 km/h in urban areas. But when the car is used outside urban areas at speeds over 50km/h, the engines will switch to fuel mode. The engine will be able to use gasoline, gas oil, bio-diesel, gas, liquidized gas, ecological fuel, alcohol, etc. Both engines will be available with2, 4 and 6 cylinders, when the air tanks are empty the driver will be able to switch to fuel mode, thanks to the car’s on board computer.

Vehicle parts:Articulated con-rod

The MDI con-rod system allows the piston to be held at Top Dead Centre for 70% of the cycle. This way, enough time is given to create

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the pressure in the cylinder. The torque is also better so the force exerted on the crankshaft is less substantial than in a classic system.

Fig 6. Articulated con-rod

Gear box

Gear changes are automatic, powered by an electronic system developed by MDI. A computer which controls the speed of the car is effectively continuously changing gears. The latest of many previous versions, this gearbox achieves the objective of seamless changes and minimal energy consumption.

Moto-alternator

The moto-alternator connects the engine to the gearbox. It has many functions:

It supports the CAT´s motor to allow the tanks to be refilled. As an alternator it produces brake power. It starts the vehicle and provides extra power when necessary.

Distribution and valves

To ensure smooth running and to optimize energy efficiency, the engines use a simple electromagnetic distribution system which

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controls the flow of air into the engine. This system runs on very little energy and alters neither the valve phase nor its rise.

Fig 7. Distribution valve

Compressed air tanks

Compressed air tanks are one of the major part of this cars. These

tanks hold 90 cubic meters of air compressed to 300 bars. It is similar

to the tanks used to carry the liquid gas used by buses for public

transport. The tanks enjoy the same technology developed to

contain natural gas. They are designed and officially approved to

carry an explosive product: methane gas.

In the case of a major accident, where the tanks are ruptured,

they would not explode since they are not metal. Instead they would

crack, as they are made of carbon fiber. An elongated crack would

appear in the tank, without exploding, and the air would simply

escape, producing a loud but harmless noise. Of course, since this

technology is licensed to transport an inflammable and explosive gas

(Natural gas), it is perfectly capable inoffensive and non-flammable

air.10

It is fitting, therefore, that MDI has reached an agreement with the

European leader in aerospace technology air bus industries for the

manufacture of the compressed air storage tanks. With a remote

supervision arrangement, Airbus Industries oversees the making of

the storage tanks at each MDI factory. The coiled carbon fibre

technology used in the construction of the tanks is complex and

requires a substantial quality control process which the multinational

company, home of the Airbus aircraft, will provide for our vehicles.

Brake power recovery

The MDI vehicles will be equipped with a range of modern

systems. For example, one mechanism stops the engine when the car

is stationary (at traffic lights, junctions etc). Another interesting

feature is the pneumatic system which recovers about 13% of the

power used.

The body

The MDI car body is built with fibre and injected foam, as are

most of the cars on the market today. This technology has two main

advantages: cost and weight. Nowadays the use of sheet steel for car

bodies is only because of cost - it is cheaper to serially produce sheet

steel bodies than fibre ones. However, fibre is safer (it doesn’t cut

like steel), is easier to repair (it is glued), doesn’t rust etc. MDI is

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currently looking into using hemp fibre to replace fibre-glass, and

natural varnishes, to produce 100% non-contaminating bodywork.

The Air Filter

The MDI engine works with both air taken from the

atmosphere and air pre-compressed in tanks. Air is compressed by

the on-board compressor or at service stations equipped with a high-

pressure compressor. Before compression, the air must be filtered to

get rid of any impurities that could damage the engine. Carbon filters

are used to eliminate dirt, dust, humidity and other particles, which

unfortunately, are found in the air in our cities.

This represents a true revolution in automobiles - it is the first

time that a car has produced minus pollution, i.e. it eliminates and

reduces existing pollution rather than emitting dirt and harmful

gases. The exhaust pipe on the MDI cars produces clean air, which is

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cold on exit (between -15º and 0º) and is harmless to human life.

With this system the air that comes out of the car is cleaner than the

air that went in.

The chassis

Based on its experience in aeronautics, MDI has put together highly

resistant, yet light, chassis, aluminium rods glued together. Using

rods enables us to build a more shock-resistant chassis than regular

chasses. Additionally, the rods are glued in the same way as aircraft,

allowing quick assembly and a more secure join than with welding.

This system helps to reduce manufacture time.

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Electrical system

Guy Nègre, inventor of the MDI Air Car, acquired the patent for

an interesting invention for installing electrics in a vehicle. Using a

radio transmission system, each electrical component receives

signals with a microcontroller. Thus only one cable is needed for the

whole car. So, instead of wiring each component (headlights,

dashboard lights, lights inside the car, etc), one cable connects all

electrical parts in the car. The most obvious advantages are the ease

of installation and repair and the removal of the approximately 22 kg

of wires no longer necessary. What’s more, the entire system

becomes an anti-theft alarm as soon as the key is removed from the

car.

Refilling of airThree modes of fuelling tank:

Air Stations

Domestic electric plug

Dual-energy mode

1. The air can be filled at our home by using Air Compressor, but it

requires 3 to 4 hrs.

2. And the air can be filled in Air Stations and it requires just 2 to 3

minutes.

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Models:a) FamilyA spacious car with seats which can face different directions. The vehicle´s design is based on the needs of a typical family.

Characteristics: Airbag, air conditioning, 6 seats.

Dimensions: 3.84m, 1.72m, 1.75m

Weight: 750 kg

Maximum speed:

110 km/h

Mileage: 200 - 300 km

Max load: 500 Kg

Recharge time:

4 hours (Mains connector)

Recharge time:

3 minutes (Air station)

b) Van

Designed for daily use in industrial, urban or rural environments, whose primary drivers would be tradesmen, farmers and delivery drivers.

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Specifications: Airbag, air conditioning, ABS, 2 seats, 1.5 m3.


Weight: 750 kg

Maximum speed:

110 km/h


Maximum load:

500 Kg

Recharging time:


Recharging time:


c) TaxiInspired by the London Taxi, with numerous ergonomic and comfort advantages for the passenger as well as for the driver.

Specifications: Airbag, air conditioning, 6 seats.

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Weight: 750 kg

Maximum speed:

110 km/h


Maximum load:

500 Kg

Recharging time:


Recharging time:


d) Pick-Up The "pleasure" car: designed for excursions, outdoor sports or water sports. Also suitable for tradesmen and small businesses.

Specifications: Airbag, air conditioning, 2 seats.


Weight: 750 kg

Maximum speed:

110 km/h

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Maximum load:

500 Kg

Recharging time:


Recharging time:


e) Mini Cat’sThe smallest and most innovative: three seats, minimal dimensions with the boot of a saloon: a great challenge for such a small car which runs on compressed air. The Minicat is the city car of the future.

Specifications: Airbag, air conditioning, ABS, 3 seats, 1.5 m3.


Weight: 750 kg

Maximum speed:

110 km/h


Maximum load:

270 Kg

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http://www.theaircar.com/models.html

Recharging time:


Recharging time:


Developers & manufacturers:Various companies are investing in the research, development and deployment of compressed air cars. Overoptimistic reports of impending production date back to at least May 1999. For instance, the MDI Air Car made its public debut in South Africa in 2002, and was predicted to be in production “within six months” in January2004. As of January 2009, the Air Car never went into production in South Africa. Most of the cars under development also rely on using similar technology to low-energy vehicles in order to increase the range and performance of their cars.

APUC-: APUC (Association de Promotion des Usages de la Quasi turbine) has made the APUC Air Car, a car powered by a Quasiturbine.

MDI-: MDI (Motor Development International) has proposed a range of vehicles made up of Air Pod, OneFlowAir, CityFlowAir. One of the main innovations of this company is its implementation of its “active chamber”, which is a compartment which heats the air (through the use of fuel) in order to double the energy output. This ‘innovation’ was first used in torpedoes in 1904.

Tata Motors-: As of January 2009 Tata Motors of India had planned to launch a car with an MDI compressed air engine in 2011. In December 2009 Tata’s vice president of engineering systems confirmed that the limited range and low engine temperatures were causing problems. Tata motors announced in May 2012 that they have assessed the design passing phase 1, the “proof of the technical

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concept” towards full production for the Indian Market. Tata has moved onto phase 2, “completing detailed development of the compressed air engine into specific vehicle and stationary applications.”

Air Car Factories SA-: Air Car Factories SA is proposing to develop and built a compressed air engine. This Spanish based company was founded by Miguel Celades. Currently there is a bitter dispute between MDI, another firm called Luis which developed compressed-air vehicles, and Mr. Celades, who was once associated with that firm.

Like all above more developer & manufacturer are Energine Corporation, Kernelys, Engineair, Honda, Peugeot/Citroen etc.

Air cars in india:Tata Motors has signed an agreement with Motor Development International of France to develop a car that runs on compressed air, thus making it very economical to run and almost totally pollution free. Although there is no official word on when the car will be commercially manufactured for India, re-ports say that it will be sooner than later. The car – Mini CAT - could cost around Rs 350,000 in India and would have a range of around 300 km between refuels. The cost of a refill would be about Rs 90. In the single energy mode MDI cars consume around Rs 45 every 100km. Figure 6 shows the proposed air car for India. The smallest and most innovative (three seats, minimal dimensions with the boot of a saloon), it is a great challenge for such a small car which runs on compressed air. The Mini CAT is the city car of the future.

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Other developments in compressed air car technology:Currently some new technologies regarding compressed air cars have emerged. A Republic of Korean company has created a pneumatic hybrid electric vehicle car engine that runs on electricity and compressed air. The engine, which powers a pneumatic-hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), works alongside an electric motor to create the power source. The system eliminates the need for fuel, making the PHEV pollution-free. The system is con-trolled by an ECU in the car, which controls both power packs i.e. the compressed-air engine and electric motor. The compressed air drives the pistons, which turn the vehicle’s wheels. The air is compressed, using a small motor, powered by a 48-volt battery, which powers both the air compressor and the electric motor. Once compressed, the air is stored in a tank. The compressed air is used when the car needs a lot of energy, such as for starting up and acceleration. The electric motor comes to life once the car has gained normal cruising speed. The PHEV system could reduce the cost of vehicle production by about 20 per cent, because there is no need for a cooling system, fuel tank, spark plugs or silencers.

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Safety features of the air car:The CATS air tanks store 90m3 of air at 300 bars of pressure (four tanks have a capacity of 90 litres, and they store 90m3 of air at a pressure of 300 bars),just like tanks already used to carry liquefied gases on some urban buses. That means that the tanks are prepared and certified to carry an explosive product: methane gas. In the case of an accident with air tank breakage, there would be no explosion or shattering because the tanks are not metallic but made of glass fiber. The tanks would crack longitudinally, and the air would escape, causing a strong buzzing sound with no dangerous factor. It is clear that if this technology has been tested and prepared to carry an inflammable and explosive gas, it can also be used to carry air. In order to avoid the so-called ‘rocket effect’ (air escaping through one of the tank’s extremities causing a pressure leak that could move the car), MDI made a small but important change in the design. Where the valve on the bus tanks are placed on one of the extremities, MDI has placed the valve in the middle of the tank reducing the ‘rocket effect’ to a minimum (Figure 5).

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Advantages:Advantages of vehicles powered by compressed air:

The costs involved to compress the air to be used in a vehicle are inferior to the costs involved with a normal combustion engine.

Air is abundant, economical, transportable, storable and, most importantly, non-polluting.

The technology involved with compressed air reduces the production costs of vehicles with 20% because it is not necessary to assemble a refrigeration system, a fuel tank, spark plugs or silencers.

Air itself is not flammable. The mechanical design of the motor is simple and robust It does not suffer from corrosion damage resulting from

the battery. Less manufacturing and maintenance costs. The tanks used in an air compressed motor can be

discarded or recycled with less contamination than batteries.

The tanks used in a compressed air motor have a longer lifespan in comparison with batteries, which, after a while suffer from a reduction in performance.

Refuelling can be done at home using an air compressor or at service stations. The energy required for compressing air is produced at large centralized plants,

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making it less costly and more effective to manage carbon emissions than from individual vehicles.

Reduced vehicle weight is the principle efficiency factor of compressed-air cars. Furthermore, they are mechanically more rudimentary than traditional vehicles as many conventional parts of the engine may be omitted. Some plans include motors built into the hubs of each wheel, thereby removing the necessity of a transmission, drive axles and differentials. A four passenger vehicle weighing less than 800 lbs. is a reasonable design goal.

One manufacturer promises a range of 200 miles by the end of the year at a cost of € 1.50 per fill-up.

Compressed air engines reduce the cost of vehicle production by about 20%, because there is no need to build a cooling system, spark plugs, transmission, axles, starter motor, or mufflers.

Most compressed air engines do not need a transmission, only a flow control.

The rate of self-discharge is very low opposed to batteries that deplete their charge slowly over time. Therefore, the vehicle may be left unused for longer periods of time than electric cars.

Lower initial cost than battery electric vehicles when mass produced. One estimate is €3,000 less.

Compressed air is not subject to fuel tax. Expansion of the compressed air lowers in temperature;

this may be exploited for use as air conditioning. Compressed-air vehicles emit no pollutants.

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Possibility to refill air tank at home (using domestic power socket).

Lighter vehicles would result in less wear on roads. The price of fuelling air powered vehicles may be

significantly cheaper than current fuels. Some estimates project only $3.00 for the cost of electricity for filling a tank.

Disadvantages:Just like the modern car and most household appliances, the principle disadvantage is that of indirect energy use. Energy is used to compress air, which - in turn - provides the energy to run the motor. Any indirect step in energy usage results in loss. For conventional combustion motor cars, the energy is lost when oil is converted to usable fuel - including drilling, refinement, labor and storage. For compressed-air cars, energy is lost when electrical energy is converted to compressed air.

Further disadvantages:

According to thermodynamics, when air is expanded in the engine, it cools via adiabatic cooling and thereby loses pressure, reducing the amount of power passed the

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engine at lower temperatures. Furthermore, it is difficult to maintain or restore the temperature of the compressed or compressing air using a heat exchanger due to the high rate of flow. The ideal isothermic energy capacity of the tank will therefore not be realized. Low temperatures may also encourage the engine to ice up.

Refuelling the compressed air container using a home or low-end conventional air compressor may take as long as 4 hours. Service stations may have specialized equipment that may take only 3 minutes.

Early tests have demonstrated the limited storage capacity of the tanks; the only published test of a vehicle running on compressed air alone was limited to a range of 7.22 km.

Conclusion : The technology of compressed air vehicles is not new. In fact, it has been around for years. Compressed air technology allows for engines that are both non-polluting and economical. After ten years of research and development, the compressed air vehicle will be introduced worldwide. Unlike electric or hydrogen powered vehicles, com-pressed air vehicles are not expensive and do not have a limited driving range. Compressed air vehicles are affordable and have a performance rate that stands up to current standards. To summit up, they are non-expensive cars that do not pollute and are easy to get around in cities. The emission benefits of introducing this zero emission technology are obvious. At the same time the well to wheels efficiency of these vehicles need to be improved.

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This is a revolutionary engine design which is not only eco-friendly, pollution free, but also very economical. This addresses both the Problems of fuel crises and pollution. However excessive research is needed to completely prove the technology for both its commercial and technical viability.

References: GANESAN, V. “Computer Simulation of Spark Ignition

Engine Processes” University press, 1996.

GANESAN, V. “Computer Simulation of Compression ignition Engine Processes” University press, 2002.

HEYWOOD, J.B., “Internal Combustion Engine Fundamentals”; McGraw-Hill Book Company, SA, 1988.

GUEY NYGER, MDI “The Compressed air Engine” Barcelona, Spain, 2002.

GUEY NYGER, MDI “the Articulated Con Rod”, Barcelona, Spain, 2002

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SAE 1999-01-0623, Schechter.M., “New Cycles for Automobile engines.”

Internet website, www.theaircar. Com.

Internet website, www.peswiki.com

Internet website, www.toodoc.com

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amit report air car

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