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Stupid FI Thoughts: Compressed Air used almost like Nitrous?

3.4K views 21 replies 14 participants last post by  Mello Yellow  
#1 ·
Hey guys, I was bored as hell in class and got to thinking.



Disclaimer: I will NEVER actually do this, and it is just a discussion on the theory of the whole idea...
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Ok, so say you have a Turbo'd car with fully built engine.

Could you not, in theory, have a tank say in the passanger seat with say 200psi of compressed air in it. My idea, is that you could use pressure fittings and fit it into either (A) the intake manifold (B) the exhaust manifold or (C) somewhere on the turbo.

Then, get some sort of custom program and valve created that when you progressively release the compressed air into the system, the injectors/fuel management system will up the gas going into the engine, giving you an boost through the added psi from the air tank.

So theoretically, you could have a turbocharged car with 10psi running, and say at 4000rpm WOT the engine releases the air and gas until the redline, giving you say 50psi, with NO turbo lag. I understand the crazy stress on the engine, hence the fully built engine.

I know, it's outlandish and impractical, but for Drag Racing Runs it seems like a viable "theory". Also, you have to refill the airtank everytime.
 
#2 ·
How are you going to get it compressed into the tank?
Turbo's already compress the air as a function of the compressor. You would benefit more filling that tank with C02 to super cool the charge ;)

Your idea is already done, since that's what turbo's and superchargers do... the only way to compress it further is to cool it.
http://www.cryo2.com/products.asp?m=sp&pid=1
 
#4 ·
How big of a tank are you planning on throwing in the passenger seat? The compressed air will not last very long as the motor uses quite a large volume of air.

Here's another thought...how about using compressed gas that has more oxygen that air?? Now that is an idea!!!





NAAAAAAWWWWWZZZZZZZZ
 
#8 ·
I'd second that on the pic! But yes, the turbo/supercharger is already compressing the air. Compressing air heats the air molecules up. So the only real beneficial way to make more power is to cool the air.

But let's say you did have a tank of compressed air in your seat. The second you let that air out of the tank, it decompresses, which causes the air molecule temperature to drop. Just like those compressed air cans you use to clean out your keyboard. You wouldn't really benefit from "spraying" more air into the engine because the air coming from your tank would be decompressed. Essentially it wouldn't fit into the engine after all the air you've shoved into it with the supercharger/turbo.

But if you used that compressed air tank to spray onto your intake manifold, you might be able to reap the benefits of the colder decompressing air to lower your intake temperature.
 
#13 ·
Growing up in the R/C world, my buddy and I tried this on a spare Picco .21 engine of mine. I regulated my air compressor to 10psi and stuck the rubber-tiped air gun down the carb venturi, all this while the engine ran full bore clamped down in a bench-vise. Running 30% nitro, IT DID MOMENTARILY REV UP until it finally chuk'd the rod. Although the engine may have been hurt from the "Hey I know, let's add acetone to the tank !" session from the prior day.:cool:
 
#15 ·
I think, if you got a large enough tank(full back seat and trunk) and filled it with say.... 200 psi. If you could release it at a constant rate of 50psi or so for an extended period of time. You could get your hair to fly back like you were on a bike or something! :p

N2O would probably be your best bet, since oxygen i believe is illegal to carry around in a vehicle unless you have one of those cool signs.
 
#17 ·
Well a good Oxygen tank "should" be able to hold about 800psi. Just get a regulator and set it where you need the psi level and using a simple fast opening gate valve for the On/Off switch.
 
#18 ·
i always thought about using just compressed oxygen instead of nitrous... considering nitrous is roughly a 40/60 nitrogen/oxygen mix...

so 100% oxygen would give more of a bang....

and most oxygen tanks hold around 2500-3500psi... atleast the ones at our shop do...

-AcId-
 
#19 ·
AcIdBuRn02ZTS said:
i always thought about using just compressed oxygen instead of nitrous... considering nitrous is roughly a 40/60 nitrogen/oxygen mix...

so 100% oxygen would give more of a bang....

and most oxygen tanks hold around 2500-3500psi... atleast the ones at our shop do...

-AcId-
Lol. OXYGEN out of the air isn't 100% oxygen. I remember reading its like 40% oxygen 60% carbon dioxide, or even less.

Pure oxygen (that much of it) would be $$$$$$$$$$$$$
 
#21 ·
i know the air you breathe isnt pure oxygen... im not that dumb:p

what i meant was... USE pure oxygen... we have a few oxygen tanks here at our shop... just bolt one down and spray it in the intake... ... .... ....

... or you could use liquid oxygen... but that would get really pricey...


neways... i always thought you'd make more power that way considering how explosive pure oxygen is...

-AcId-
 
#22 ·
The reason N2O is used instead of O2 is that the nitrogen cools the intake charge much more than just pure oxygen. Pure oxygen is also much more volatile, burns hotter and will end up melting a piston or plug.

My thoughts on compressed are are ditto, that's what turbos and superchargers are for.