Automaker will sell auto powered by air!

[Bird]

for use on windy days?larry

Larry, my Dad said when he was a kid, before they had commercial electricity on the farm, they had a battery powered radio and a small wind driven generator that charged the batteries. So he said it seemed to him that we should be able to build battery powered cars and mount little wind driven generators on the roof and/or fenders to charge the batteries while we've driving; the faster you drive, the faster you turn those generators.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Larry, my Dad said when he was a kid, before they had commercial electricity on the farm, they had a battery powered radio and a small wind driven generator that charged the batteries. So he said it seemed to him that we should be able to build battery powered cars and mount little wind driven generators on the roof and/or fenders to charge the batteries while we've driving; the faster you drive, the faster you turn those generators.

Like a turbo charger!..... Oh thats on the exhaust.
larry

 

[coffeeman]

Hey Bird

I like that. I was here on the old computer box and I read your post. It woke me up and really brightened my day. "the faster you drive, the faster you turn those generators." I'm still smiling

Cheers....Coffeeman
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Larry, my Dad said when he was a kid, before they had commercial electricity on the farm, they had a battery powered radio and a small wind driven generator that charged the batteries. So he said it seemed to him that we should be able to build battery powered cars and mount little wind driven generators on the roof and/or fenders to charge the batteries while we've driving; the faster you drive, the faster you turn those generators.

 

[tallyho8]

Remember, Columbus discovered America on a boat powered by air that consumed no fossil fuels and this was over 500 years ago.

 

[coffeeman]

There is an outdoor childrens park in Rapid City, South Dakota that has a little blue train engine with yellow trim. It is only about 4 feet high and six feet long. Odd thing is, there is no motor on it, only an air tank. As I recall, it is an air powered locomotive for use in underground mines. The plaque said it could run for 4 hours on one charge. And it was very safe because there was no combustion engine to cause fires. Mines always have a source of compressed air. It was pretty cool. I have a picture of it around somewhere, just can't locate it now.

Of course, its pretty obvious that the energy required to pump that sucker up would be huge. I don't think it would save any energy at all. It would, however, save on emissions in the area it operated, but not in the area where the compressor got its power from, unless that power was electricity generated by solar, wind, water or nuker.

I think I read somewhere that if 3/4 of our cars were powered by electric we could handle the charging if we only charged in off peak hours. I'll have to find that info. There will be ways to solve these problems.

On nuke power, Three Mile Island is a consideration for many people. I happened to be traveling in the area when that happened. Didn't bother me. Most things happen fast and are under control before we even hear about it. By time I knew what was really going on, I was in Philly. As I thought about it later, I should have gone west as the wind flows from west to east. What a dumbo!

Cheers Coffeeman

 

[Dozernut]

Sorta depends on the size of the reservoir. Then there is the problem of getting rid of the heat (wasted energy)... You aren't going to find any compressor capable of those kinds of pressure installed in a homeowners garage.

Harry K

Here is one that a few air gunners have in their home Liquid Cooled Air Compressor. The Club Model. Heavy Duty cooling system.. PRECHARGED GUN ACCESSORIES.. I would like to have one of these for my air guns, maybe someday. A few clubs have these compressors Alkin USA, Alkin, compressor, high, pressure, breathing, air, compressor but I don't know anyone with one in their garage, in-fact I never made that statement.

 

[MossRoad]

Sorta depends on the size of the reservoir. Then there is the problem of getting rid of the heat (wasted energy)... You aren't going to find any compressor capable of those kinds of pressure installed in a homeowners garage.

Harry K

That's what they said about indoor toilets!

 

[Jagmandave]

I liken this to the Moeller Air Car, 20 years in the making and it still only flys when tethered to the ground...........and millions upon millions spent on it so far............

Although, there is some interesting technology at work here now. Maybe as materials and techniquies continue to improve, well, who knows?

 

[MossRoad]

There is an outdoor childrens park in Rapid City, South Dakota that has a little blue train engine with yellow trim. It is only about 4 feet high and six feet long. Odd thing is, there is no motor on it, only an air tank. As I recall, it is an air powered locomotive for use in underground mines. The plaque said it could run for 4 hours on one charge. And it was very safe because there was no combustion engine to cause fires. Mines always have a source of compressed air. It was pretty cool. I have a picture of it around somewhere, just can't locate it now.

Of course, its pretty obvious that the energy required to pump that sucker up would be huge. I don't think it would save any energy at all. It would, however, save on emissions in the area it operated, but not in the area where the compressor got its power from, unless that power was electricity generated by solar, wind, water or nuker.

Well, I can't find my picture of the air locomoitive I mentioned above, so I googled "compressed air locomotive mining" and found a link to a neat page. If you scroll down, it even has a picture of the locomotive I was talking about, along with several others. It also discusses the pros and cons of compressed air vehicles and how to deal with the heating and cooling of compressed gases. Neat page.

Compressed-Air Motors.

 

[mjarrels]

Fred Flintstone fiqured it out years ago!

mark