3 ms·
Why not compressed pure oxygen? Had this idea since the 90s, but no racing team listened to me just because I was a kid in school.
by DrNosferatu 2y ago
Why not compressed pure oxygen?
Had this idea since the 90s, but no racing team listened to me just because I was a kid in school.
- 01HNNWZ0MV43FF 2y agoWikipedia says uncited that N2O produces heat when it decomposes into nitrogen and oxygen, but that's the opposite of other comments saying that cold oxygen is better because it's denser
- DrNosferatu 2y agoCompressed - cold - pure oxygen, that is. Held in a lightweight composite thermic bottle.
- 00N8 2y agoYou'd get better energy density that way, but I think it's offset by worse efficiency & more damage to the engine. The inert gas fraction (N2, CO2, H2O) provides a useful working fluid to convert combustion heat to force pushing on the piston. Burning pure O2 would mean a lot more heat is needed for the same amount of force. Higher peak temperatures & more available oxygen will tend to create hotspots & knock/pre-detonation, & possibly erosion of the cylinder wall & piston from directly burning the metal. Using nitrous or cool compressed air keeps most of the benefits while mitigating the problems of using pure O2.