Re: powerplant of the future??

["Steve Spiers" <s.spiers@xxxxxxxxxx>]

It must be like a steam engine, but uses only compressed air not steam.

Electric motors are probably used to compress the air, generated by hydro
power, not much polution there.

I see you would need a hugh mass of air to power the car for any decent
length. the weight would be a big factor

Steve
----- Original Message -----
From: <MCosgrove@domain.elided>
To: <alfa-digest@domain.elided>; <italian-cars@domain.elided>
Sent: Saturday, May 31, 2003 9:18 AM
Subject: powerplant of the future??


> Check out   www.theaircar.com.    It touts a French car that runs on
> compressed air, goes 70 mpm, 200 miles on a tank, and has the usual zero
> pollution.  Call me a skeptic, but I think it is lubricated with snake
oil.
>
> It carries a tank that one fills with 4500 psi air.  The 25 hp, 566 cc
> engine  compresses an atmospheric charge to 300 psi and 400 degrees C,
then
> squirts some of the "fuel" air into the cylinder, causing the power
stroke.
> (???!)  Where does one get the 4500 psi air to fill up the "fuel" tank?
> How much pollution is created compressing that air?  What energy is used
to
> compress the atmospheric air to 300 psi?  How can compressing the air and
> heating it create power?  What will the squirt of air from the fuel tank
do
> other than cool the charge and remove some of the energy, unless that
> squirt is where all the power comes from.  Or perhaps it is the
articulated
> connecting rods.  Eric,  show me what I'm missing.
>
> Wonder if any of our 2007 Alfas will have one under the hood?  GTA, Gran
> Turismo Air?
>
> Mike in 35 degrees C Texas
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