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Compressed air cars

By Murray Bourne, 11 May 2006

There are 2 very promising inventions that use compressed air as the energy source. The first, from France, drives a piston engine (which does not require any ignition of a carbon-base fuel).

Di Pietro engine
The second, which seems more promising, is from Australia and it drives a light (13kg) and simple rotary engine.

The compressed air is held in tanks made of carbon fibre. Why? If the tanks are damaged in an accident, a metal-based tank would explode and cause a lot of damage. Carbon fibre will split and cause little damage. besides, it is light and very strong.
Di Pietro vehicle
This is a small vehicle powered by the Di Pietro rotary engine.

The current high price of oil means these alternative energy source proposals can get a serious hearing - and the oil companies have less impact on the US & other high polluting governments.

air engine
The inventor, Di Pietro and his engine.

There is more info on similar engines at Quasiturbine.

Bring on the alternatives to gas guzzling cars!

See the 6 Comments below.

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Posted in Environmental math category - 11 May 2006 [Permalink]

6 Comments on “Compressed air cars”

  1. Leigh Zappelli says:
    14 Feb 2007 at 10:34 pm [Comment permalink]

    I was wondering if Di Pietro’s buggy is still in use and how it is going, and if there are any problems with it. I am doing a project at school on compressed air vs petrol.

  2. Murray says:
    14 Feb 2007 at 10:42 pm [Comment permalink]

    Hi Leigh

    From that ABC site mentioned in the post:

    For more information about the Rotary Piston Engine, contact the following:
    Engineair Pty Ltd
    5 Export Drive
    Brooklyn Vic 3012
    p:03 9318 0011
    e: [email protected]
    w: http://www.engineair.com.au

    Good luck with your assignment - great topic!

  3. kishor says:
    30 Dec 2008 at 12:23 pm [Comment permalink]

    I have gone through the article, its amazing but it would be still better if you have provided the design of the engine like pressure of the air for any particular application dimensions of the vanes, shaft and eccentric

  4. Murray says:
    30 Dec 2008 at 12:39 pm [Comment permalink]

    Hi Kishor

    Follow the link given in the comment to Leigh. Alternatively, you could email the inventor - that will be the best source!

  5. Robert Reive says:
    19 Oct 2009 at 4:42 am [Comment permalink]

    its US patent filed as rotary engine, very good drawings description in patentese, however the benefits described are clear

  6. Kishor says:
    19 Oct 2009 at 9:36 am [Comment permalink]

    Please give the details of the design

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