Energy Matters Forums

[Gordon-Loomberah]

This sounds like a great idea.If we could get the air motor to have some sort of effiency, like even 50% this could become a very viable option.

Not really, since the 10-20% efficiency of compressing air is very wasteful, as mentioned by sceptic. Feel how hot the lower end of a bicycle pump gets when you inflate a tyre- very hot! That is all energy that is lost into the environment and not going into stored energy. The idea of burning coal to do that horrifies me.

I think a much better direction to go is in developing more efficient electric cars with Lithium or other light weight, efficient battery technologies. Yes the batteries are very expensive at the moment, but as production volume increases, the price should come down.

Gordon

[MichaelB]

Economic and environmental evaluation of compressed-air cars:

http://www.iop.org/EJ/article/1748-9326 ... 44011.html

The report is lengthy and I'm not going to even try and given the impression I actually understand it all; but here's the summary:

We analyze the thermodynamic efficiency of a compressed-air car powered by a pneumatic engine and consider the merits of compressed air versus chemical storage of potential energy. Even under highly optimistic assumptions the compressed-air car is significantly less efficient than a battery electric vehicle and produces more greenhouse gas emissions than a conventional gas-powered car with a coal intensive power mix. However, a pneumatic–combustion hybrid is technologically feasible, inexpensive and could eventually compete with hybrid electric vehicles.

[mikepotts64]

The French connection - Air Car development
http://www.technologyreview.com/read_ar ... n&id=20071

[hydrokevin]

Compressed air cars are just electric cars that use compressed air as a battery. The energy comes from the grid just like an electric car. The videos I've watched (and listened to) of the MDI show a car that is louder than most and not the quiet hum one would expect from a zero emission vehicle.