Performance Evaluation of a Single Cylinder Compressed Air Engine: An Experimental Study

Abstract

The quest to reduce dangerous environmental emissions has led to the research and use of alternate and renewable energy sources. One of the major contributors to the dangerous environmental emissions is the automotive industry. The world is, therefore, quickly moving towards hybrid and electric vehicles. An alternate pollution-free automotive engine is a compressed-air engine, which is powered by compressed air and is more efficient than the electric engine since it requires less charging time than a traditional battery-operated engine. Furthermore, the tanks used in compressed-air engines have a longer lifespan in comparison to the batteries used in electric vehicles. However, extensive research is required to make this engine viable for commercial use. The current study is a step forward in this direction and shows the performance analysis of a single-cylinder compressed-air engine, developed from a four-stroke, single-cylinder, 70 cc gasoline engine. The results show that compressed-air engines are economic, environmental friendly and efficient.