Motorcycle Engines Powered by Compressed Air

Their design, described in a recent issue of the Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, could be combined with a compressed air cylinder as a replacement for traditional internal combustion engines. In areas where motorcycles are a major source of public transportation, such a technology could cut emissions substantially if widely implemented.

According to Bharat Raj Singh, one of the two authors on the paper and a researcher at the SMS Institute of Technology in Lucknow, India, some 50 to 60 percent of present emissions in some areas could be reduced with the new technology, though a number of technical challenges remain. Designing a compact but high-capacity air tank to store sufficient “fuel” for long rides is a major hurdle. Existing tanks would require someone to stop about every 30 km (19 mi) to swap tanks.

The article, “Study of the influence of vane angle on shaft output of a multivane air turbine” by Bharat Raj Singh and Onkar Singh was published May 6, 2010 in the Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy. See: http://jrse.aip.org/jrsebh/v2/i3/p033101_s1

Journalists may request a free PDF of this article by contacting jbardi@aip.org.

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