Date post: | 27-Dec-2015 |
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Outline
• The Cars
• Air Tanks
• Thermodynamics – Does it make sense?– Is it even possible?
• Summary and Conclusion
MDI: Moteur Developpment International
• Weight: 750 Kg• Max load: 500 Kg• Range: 150 miles• Top speed: 68 mph• Recharge time: 3
minutes
Filling the Tanks
• Costs $2 in electricity
• Filling stations– 3 minutes using volume transfer– These stations don’t exist
• Home compressor– 4 hrs in Europe– 8 hrs in U.S.
Thermodynamics
• 300 Liters at 300 Bar– Full tank weight: 200 Kg– 43,600 Btu required for filling– 40,000 max output
• Gasoline: 110,000 Btu/Gal
• Equivalent: 0.4 gallons of gasoline
Thermodynamics
• Honda Civic Hybrid: 45 mpg, 1100 kg– Gas engine: 20% efficient
• At 100% efficiency: 225 mpg
• 0.4 gallons: 90 miles
• Advertised numbers are flawed
• Tank size needs to be doubled– Increase weight by 200 kg– Not a big deal
Thermal Efficiency
• High thermal efficiency– Power plant: biggest loss at 50%– Transmission line loss: 7%– Compressor: 10-20%– Air engine with regenerative braking: 170%
• Impossible
– Overall efficiency: 40% – Electrical efficiency: 70%
Summary - Benefits
• Cheap– 3,500 euro sticker price– A few dollars to fill up and maintain– Free Air Conditioning
• Higher thermal efficiency
Summary - Drawbacks
• Less safe: Fiberglass and glue
• Low power, tank bleed off
• Shorter range
• Infrastructure problem
Conclusion
• Possible
• Good for city driving
• Short range forever
• Not likely to be successful in U.S.
References
• The Air Car. 2007. Moteur Developpment International. 17 Nov. 2007 <http://www.theaircar.com/>. The
• World’s First Air Car. 2007. Popular Mechanics. 17 Nov. 2007 <http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/new_cars/42...>.