Driving On Compressed Air: The Little-Known Compressed Air Revolution

In March 2020, Reza Alizade Evrin and Ibrahim Dincer from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology's Clean Energy Research Lab pioneered an innovative vehicle prototype fueled by compressed air, using readily available components. This prototype showcased remarkable energy efficiency, reaching up to 90% of a lithium-ion electric vehicle's efficiency and predicting a range of around 140 kilometers. While surpassable by current electric vehicles, the real breakthrough was the exclusive use of compressed air as an energy source.

The history of compressed air vehicles dates back to the early 19th century when the concept of harnessing compressed air's power for vehicles emerged. Despite early breakthroughs like Louis Mékarski's compressed air locomotive in the 1860s, practical applications were limited. Mining operations and tunnel constructions adopted compressed air vehicles due to their safety advantages, but they couldn't compete with internal combustion engines.

Compressed air storage systems faced inherent flaws, with conventional methods wasting energy due to heat loss during compression and cooling during expansion. Adiabatic and isothermal storage techniques were explored to improve efficiency, particularly for utility power storage. Researchers like Evrin and Dincer delved into near-isothermal compressed air storage, enhancing thermodynamic limits for vehicle applications using phase change materials.

Advantages of compressed air vehicles include potential fourfold energy storage compared to lithium-ion batteries, direct mechanical energy conversion, quiet and lightweight turbine-based motors, and sustainability due to minimal toxic materials and reduced manufacturing complexity. Tankage solutions vary between low-pressure and high-pressure systems, utilizing lightweight composite tanks that are safer and cheaper to produce compared to batteries.

The challenge of designing efficient air motors led to innovations like EngineAir's Di Pietro Motor, addressing torque inconsistencies through a rotary positive displacement design. However, achieving consistent torque across pressure ranges remained an obstacle.

Commercialization history saw ups and downs. French engineer Guy Negre proposed the idea in 1996, leading to prototypes like MDI's "OneCAT" and partnerships with companies like Tata Motors. However, challenges including safety concerns and governmental support for electric and hybrid vehicles hindered mass adoption. MDI's AirPod 2.0, introduced in 2019, featured hybrid refueling and improved speeds, yet production plans remained uncertain.

Despite the journey's challenges, MDI persists in the pursuit of compressed air vehicle commercialization, aiming to revolutionize transportation with this sustainable technology.

FOOTAGE
Traveling Tom - 1906, HK Porter, Compressed air mine locomotive demonstration
Infinite Composites Technologies
Angelo Di Pietro

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[graealex]

Physics will always tell you that compressed air is a very inefficient energy storage. It's even inefficient in a workshop, where its benefits can still outweigh the inefficiency. But for cars, LMAO.

[ChristopherSchreib-ynvu]

There’s an old time steel mill device called a Vortex Valve’, which was a cheap air conditioning trick, used to make the super-hot steel mill cool enough for the workers to survive working in there. You pump the local air through this valve, and it splits it into two jets of air, one hot, one cold, with the hot air jet piped outdoors. Perhaps some new application of the thing, could help in a few of these air power systems?

[gaiapelikan]

This is the future for transportation. Air powered rotary engine.
I hope that the car companies will not be jaded by the oil companies !
I saw a Volkswagen engine in 1977 that ran on compressed air.

[toddwmac]

As a marksman, I got interested in Pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) rifles a decade ago. Those unfamiliar with PCPs generally laughed at the "boys with their Red Ryders". That has changed. The advances occurring within that niche industry have outpaced traditional firearms and speak volumes on what can be done with pneumatics. I understand that while some/many of the physics and engineering problems are different, if a competitive financial model can be developed, we will see these faster than most expect....and we won't hear them comming. Thnaks for posting.

[hyric]

Seems like an energy storage technology that could work as solar energy storage in hot climates. Compressed air could be stored at room temperature and when needed, compressed air could drive a turbine-generator or engine-generator to generate electricity. The cold air would be useful for space cooling. So a combined power and cooling system.

[igormac]

Peugeot-Citroën really dived into the project with the HybridAir concept, which went on years of development and research until they pull the plug due to the rise of the battery hybrids.

The system would function like a 48 volt mild hybrid, keeping the car in motion at stable speeds and at low speeds, making possible the 1.2 3cyl gasoline engine to shut off. Very ingenious

[WarpedYT]

I haven't seen one of your videos in a minute, I've seen a ton of these compressed-air cars used in India and Mexico.

[dontaylor]

I’m no scientist but at 2:44 the video says “produces more greenhouse gas emissions than a gas powered car”. Then it went on to explain how energy is lost to heat when compressing air but never explained how compressed air systems produce more greenhouse gas. One might assume that they assume the energy used to compress the air is generated by burning fossil fuels and that so much energy is wasted in the process by heating that it actually uses more fossil fuel than just burning it in a gas engine but they were a long way from explaining that. That could be true but I would need it explained to me in detail rather than just accept it upon the suggestion.

[kevinfarlie]

It was certainly unexpected to see a professor from my faculty featured in a youtube video on a fairly large channel, and the first time I have heard of this research. Congratulations to Dr. Dincer and Mr. Evrin! I hope our UOIT will better communicate its research throughout our community since this makes me curious what other exceptional research has been done, and simply not well publicized.

[brucewilliams]

This is a great video. I could see a lot of other uses for this. Just thinking about the heat recovery from phase changes opens a lot of design possibilities for all kinds of systems. Really well researched! Lately there have been few videos that make me think "oh, I could use this here or there." in a cascade of thoughts on other systems. This is one of the very few videos I have shared and saved. Thank you for restoring YoTub's relevance a bit!

[TheChrisLeone]

I think we're overlooking an obvious energy source– hamsters on wheels

[valgov]

9:00 you claim the energy density of compressed air to be 4 times that of lithium battery? That is almost certainly not true. To get to equal energy density with lithium batteries, you'd need pressure of around 150, 000 psi. That is a bomb. If you got into an accident in that vehicle, the passengers would absolutely die immediately.

[Tanstaaflitis]

Thanks for the updates on MDI. I followed them in the early 2000s, but lost track a long time ago.

[jasonnoteboom]

As a lowly compressor tech, I just shake my head at the ways these engineers keep me employed.

I giggle at the thought of seeing one of these tugging around an old portable 185 just to keep running. That makes as much sense as a new lightning stuck on the side of the road getting recharged from a generator.

[Hamdad]

Somehow the video never gets around to mentioning how poor the energy density of compressed air is. At one point it implies it's 4X that of lithium ion, which a quick google debunks (perhaps efficiency was confused with energy density?). This is the real reason MDI/ZPM haven't brought their vehicles to market, not market trends towards batteries or any of the other reasons listed. The simple fact is that the AirPod and other prototypes never were independently shown to have a range any greater than about 4.7 miles. Not 47, but 4.7, as in not even five miles. "Fast recharging" also doesn't mention the noise level of the compressor, or that not just any gas station compressor would be capable of filling the tanks to the required pressure. This is why the Shark Tank investor pulled out of ZPM after the show aired, presumably upon speaking with his engineering consultant.

[Glenn.Cooper]

This was a really fantastic and well researched video - thanks!!

[christmassnow]

In 2007/2008 I read about Tata Motors compressed air project. Back then I was actively trading in the stock market. I bought some stocks and suddenly I heard no updates about the project. I waited while the stock kept going down and heard nothing ever since. The rest is history.

[SubvertTheState]

I love this idea as an energy storage medium. Direct hydropneumatic or wind driven compression would be awesome. You could either forget about electricity production all-together, or only convert the energy from compressed air to electricity on demand.

[dumyjobby]

Maybe as big land based storage with compressed air can make sense since it's much easier to store the heat energy but for moving vehicles it doesn't seem to make that much sense since to store heat energy is impossible in small volumes and you end up with very complex systems. I wonder why all the promises or range and efficiency never seem to materialise

[SmoothCanoes]

I always get excited when there new uploads from this channel!