Air powered motorcycle?

Discussion in 'UK Motorcycles' started by Ross Clement (Email address invalid - do not use), Jun 8, 2006.

  1. Do you think it would be possible to build an air-powered motorcycle
    based on the air car engines? The air car engines are available in 2,
    4, and 6 cyclinder configurations. I would guess that the 2 cylinder
    engine would be best for a bike. Not sure how big the air "fuel" tank
    is.

    Cheers,

    Ross-c
     
    Ross Clement (Email address invalid - do not use), Jun 8, 2006
    #1
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  2. In uk.rec.motorcycles, Ross Clement (Email address invalid - do not use)
    belched forth and ejected the following:
    Not half as big as the compressor would need to be!
     
    Whinging Courier, Jun 8, 2006
    #2
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  3. Couldn't you keep the compressor in the garage at home?

    Cheers,

    Ross-c
     
    Ross Clement (Email address invalid - do not use), Jun 8, 2006
    #3
  4. Ross Clement (Email address invalid - do not use)

    Paul - xxx Guest

    Ross Clement (Email address invalid - do not use) came up with the
    following;:
    Anything's possible. Just depends, I guess, on how much moolah you want to
    fling at it, and what sort of performance you want after you've done it.
     
    Paul - xxx, Jun 8, 2006
    #4
  5. Ross Clement (Email address invalid - do not use)

    Pip Luscher Guest

    I don't know about those specific engines, but the question is: why?

    If it's "just to see if I can do it", then go for it. I'd be
    interested to see how well it works.

    Practically, it's unlikely that you'd get any more energy storage than
    a similar size/weight electric pack, unless you're going for a
    lightweight drag setup that only needs a few seconds' worth of power,
    or you're going for colossal tank pressures.

    If it's for 'green' reasons, then there are probably better solutions.
    Apart from efficiency problems, ultimately the energy has to come from
    somewhere.

    If it were easy, we'd all be using air-powered vehicles...
     
    Pip Luscher, Jun 9, 2006
    #5
  6. Ross Clement (Email address invalid - do not use)

    platypus Guest

    http://www.theaircar.com/

    Check out the articulated conrod.
     
    platypus, Jun 9, 2006
    #6
  7. Ross Clement (Email address invalid - do not use)

    Pip Luscher Guest

    Coo, ta.

    I'm intrigued as to why they need time to fill the cylinder. An air
    engine shouldn't need to rev that hard, any more that a steam engine
    needs to. Big cylinder volumes shouldn't be a problem like they are
    for IC engines.

    This "sufficient time to establish gas pressure" thing interests me.
    As the tank drains down, this pressure would drop unless regulated.
    Normally you'd need a pressure regutator, or at least a throttle, to
    control the gas pressure entering the engine. These devices waste
    energy in turbulence.

    Maybe, then they've found a way of dropping the pressure without loss
    that takes time, or it's actually a variable-geometry engine (moving
    the fixed end of the conrod?) that runs directly off tank pressure.
    This would probably be the most efficient way to do it and may even be
    the real reason for the articulated conrod.

    There are other technical issues that I can see. The exhaust is cold,
    so cold in fact that icing-up of the engine exterior is a potential
    problem. The cold would also cause pressure drops in the engine that
    could lose power.

    They seem to claim 150km range and top speed of 110kph for the city
    variant, which I assume is air-only. Presumably not at the same time!

    They do seem to be inventing for invention's sake, I mean, why radio
    link controls when CAN exists? Sounds like a recipe for needless
    interference-related trouble.

    If they can deliver the performance they're claiming, then good luck
    to them, I do like the idea of an air-powered vehicle, but ultimately
    it comes down to how much energy you can cram into an air bottle.
     
    Pip Luscher, Jun 10, 2006
    #7
  8. Ross Clement (Email address invalid - do not use)

    Owen Guest

    Hmm, to research all this stuff, you must have a lot of time on your
    hands... :)
     
    Owen, Jun 10, 2006
    #8
  9. Ross Clement (Email address invalid - do not use)

    platypus Guest

    Research? I have acolytes to do research for me.
     
    platypus, Jun 11, 2006
    #9
  10. Ross Clement (Email address invalid - do not use)

    Owen Guest

    *slaps hand to forehead* - I'll get my coat...
     
    Owen, Jun 11, 2006
    #10
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