Posted on 11/06/2012 1:29:52 PM PST by Red Badger
Look what an Australian designer would like us to roll with in a no-emissions future: A motorcycle powered by nothing but air. Adding to a growing portfolio of ideas centered around compressed-air engines, this good-looking entry is called the 02 Pursuit. As an alternative-fuel bike, it reaches impressive speeds, given that is powered by a tank of compressed air. Opened up all the way, according to claims, the O2 Pursuit can do over 60 miles on a single tank and can zoom past trees and mountains at 87 mph. The obvious advantage to electric bikes would be that this Pursuit cycle would not require the big heavy batteries, long re-charging waits, and thoughts about battery disposal.
The O2 Pursuit was designed by Dean Benstead, an industrial designer and a graduate of RMIT University, in Melbourne, Australia. Benstead started out with a what-if idea: "Living in a world where people can commute in vehicles and have fun without impacting on the environment in a scenario that seems unachievable and unimaginable—what if we could?" He worked the idea into a functional prototype stage with numerous design iterations along the way. He said he conducted a validation of air as power source with the use of life-cycle analysis mapping and futuring. A Yamaha WR250R frame was fitted with a compressed-air engine, which is the DiPietro Air Engine developed by Engineair Australia, and a standard scuba diving tank. Last year, he showcased his O2 Pursuit air-powered motorcycle at the Sydney Motorcycle and Scooter Show. This year, the O2 Pursuit is one of the inventions that have been shortlisted for the upcoming James Dyson Award. There are 15 projects on the list and the winner and two runners-up will be announced on November 8.
As some suggest, however, the idea is wonderful but not yet practical. The drawback is lack of refilling stations, and a need to find power to compress the air in the first place. While gas stations are available to provide compressed air, they would not be efficient for something like a scuba tank. The answer would be in a "distributed generation smart grid," he said, where refill stations can be positioned around a city or rural area to facilitate the required range. The refill points would be navigable via the user's integrated smartphone and GPS system. Air energy could be compressed via solar or wind and stored in an inert state forever. Right now, however, the O2 Pursuit is a project that provides an inviting look into the use of air as an alternative fuel in, as he said, a post-petroleum world.
I want one.
Like me on my V-max after dining at White Castle.
Yeah, let’s see this clown try and get DOT approval for that scuba tank.
It would make for a pretty spectacular wreck to see that bike hit a truck and puncture that tank.
The electricity is being produced anyway, in my part of the country mostly by hydro power. May as well use it. At least these wouldn’t be driving all over spewing fumes and noise like the two-stroke motors they usually run.
LOL!
Every earth day I grill a spotted owl. :)
Biden has been running on hot air alone for over 60 years, and there is a liquor store almost everywhere for re-fueling.
It’s a poor storage medium. It heats up as it gets compressed into the tank and must be removed. That heat gets wasted. It’s a significant amount of energy.
Another NON-technical person that believes that pressurized air is free to the consumer.
However, what happens is that the air-tank is both pressurized and heated simultaneously. But as the heat leaves the tank (by internal radiation heat that leaves the tank) Once cooled, the compressed air delivers far LESS pressure because the heat is gone.
The bottom line? You won’t make a gain AT ALL. You can only hope that you could use-up the tank before it cools. But on the other hand, you should find another method to make energy.
Another NON-technical person that believes that pressurized air is free to the consumer.
However, what happens is that the air-tank is both pressurized and heated simultaneously. But as the heat leaves the tank (by internal radiation heat that leaves the tank) Once cooled, the compressed air delivers far LESS pressure because the heat is gone.
The bottom line? You won’t make a gain AT ALL. You can only hope that you could use-up the tank before it cools. But on the other hand, you should find another method to make energy.
Well, look at it this way, if the tank ruptures, the bike and rider will be thrown clear of the accident so the EMTs won’t have to scrape your guts off the bumper............
Maybe they could couple a compressor to the yuppies elliptical exercise equipment and it becomes a do-it-yourself project
You could pump the air using solar energy.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_much_does_it_cost_to_refill_a_scuba_tank
I’ll let someone else do the math if they wish.
I’m thinking for something this light, gas power would be more efficient.
There’s no such thing as two-stroke motorcycles anymore. I’m not sure when the last one was produced, but it seems like it been close to 20 years since I’ve seen a new two-stroke for sale (at least in US).
It’s a poor storage medium. It heats up as it gets compressed into the tank and that heat must be removed. That heat gets wasted. It’s a significant amount of energy.
Well, what I read IN the article was a range of 60 miles, and a top speed of 87 mph.
Scuba tanks are pressurized to around 3000 psi, IIRC.
Hooligans ping, por favor
When scuba tanks are filled they are immersed in a water tank to cool off the heat coming from the compression............
Pretty interesting. I don’t care about the ‘green footprint’ nonsense, I just think that fluid power as an energy storage medium has a lot more potential than we think. Eaton and Parker Hannifin have both developed hydraulic hybrids that use braking hp to store fluid power that is used to start the vehicle moving again - perfect for things like garbage trucks and delivery vans. A French company was working on a compressed air-powered small car, but this in a moped form would seem to be very useful too.
$5 - $15 but that includes necessary exotic gases, assume $5 that $5 for sixty miles. That’s slightly more expensive than current gas prices. Plus you are by yourself and anything you carry better be in your pockets.
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