Shematic.net

Air Car

Air Car

Air is compressed and then it is released which is the source of propulsion. These air cars have been in the developmental stages for many years and are very, very close to reaching wide commercial markets.

Air cars use an electric pump to compress air into a tank at high pressures (300 – 350 Atm.), effectively storing energy like a battery. That air is allowed to escape and, in a way similar to a combustion engine, it presses on the vehicle’s pistons , producing work. The air cars electric pumps can typically be recharged using a standard electrical outlet. The use of this pump and outlet do not make them hybrid vehicles, just like conventional gasoline vehicle is not hybrid simply because it requires a battery. Fig. 1 - schematically shown work of internal combustion engine and engine on the compressed air.

         
Fig. 1. Principle of work of internal combustion engine and engine on the compressed air.

Most of them are in fact electric cars that is used to compress the air that powers them, but since pneumatic technology doesn't require any major breakthroughs in battery power density, and could eventually reduce the environmental costs of transportation quite a bit.

Air cars also have electric motors, so they are in fact hybrids: Pneumatic-hybrid electric vehicles. The compressed air technology engine is used whenever the car needs lots of energy and the electrical drivetrain is used to maintain velocity and cruise, requiring a lot less power overall than an all-electric cars. Sometimes, when it is considered optimal by the onboard computer, both engines are used at the same time. 

Some firms, such as Alba Montecristo Laboratory, Honda FCX, Tata offered models of hybrid engines, engines on the compressed air and economic cars (fig. 2).

         
Fig. 2. Models of hybrid engines and engines on the compressed air.

Of course, air cars will only be as clean as the energy source used to compress the air that powers them, but it is a lot easier to clean up that process than to clean up the internal combustion engine.

added 22.03.09 21:16:10 | looked over 6898 times