JohnJug 0 #1 September 26, 2002 Ok, you all are posting way too many threads for me to keep up with now, so I don't know if anyone else has posted this yet, but if not here may be the answer to some of our pollution and oil dependency problems. Bill Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #2 September 26, 2002 QuoteThe company has developed the technology to refill the vehicle in three minutes, although there are no service station forecourts with the compressed air machines to do that yet. And not freekin' likely either. Can you even possibly imagine how hot the airtank would get?quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,120 #3 September 26, 2002 >Can you even possibly imagine how hot the airtank would get? Air tank doesn't have to get hot, as long as you cool the compressed air sufficiently before it gets into the tank. Presumably a service station would be equipped to do this. And, on the flip side, this car should have the world's best air conditioner - and it would actually _increase_ your mileage! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #4 September 26, 2002 QuotePresumably a service station would be equipped to do this. Hmmm, lemme think about that. I suppose if they pumped in liquid nitrogen it would start to make sense. What do you suppose the filling station would be then? A giant compressor plant (running off electricity I would imagine) connected to a very large tank (cooled by electricity). The CAR might get interesting "air" milage, but I think it's going to be a huge waste of energy cooling the supply tank.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,120 #5 September 26, 2002 >The CAR might get interesting "air" milage, but I think it's going to > be a huge waste of energy cooling the supply tank. You don't have to actively cool it. Imagine the following: You pump up a huge stationary tank to 5000 PSI, then let it sit. It cools to ambient. You connect it to the car with a connection that is a very good thermal connection and open the valve. As the 5000 PSI air escapes into the (say) 100PSI car tank, the air cools tremendously at the expansion point (PV=nRT and all that.) The air in the car tank, as it is compressed, heats up, but unless it is compressed all the way back up to 5000PSI, doesn't even get back up to ambient. You close the valve when the pressure reaches 4000 PSI. No heating problems. I agree that compressors are notoriously inefficient though. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
