I understand that the the nitrous oxide provides more oxygen to help the engine combust the fuel more efficiently, with the nitrogen itself being useless . So how come pure, compressed oxygen isn't better?
2006-10-23 04:04:27 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Cars & Transportation ➔ Other - Cars & Transportation
Pure oxygen would blow up your car engine and probably you along with it. Pure oxygen is so flammible that it would be hazardous to put into your car. The Nitrogen in the Nitrous oxide keeps the oxygen more stable and more suitable for your car engine. However, it still is very explosive and putting a Nitrous kit on a stock engine can be risky. Usually you have to do some major engine mods to be able to handle the Nitrous Oxide. Things like stronger pistons, stronger rods, perhaps even stronger cylinder sleaves will be required to handle the extra umph the nitrous will provide. In a stock engine you might be able to use a 50 horse power shot of nitrous but,any more than a 100 horse power shot and you will be throwing the dice so to say. I hope this helps. Take care and good luck.
2006-10-23 04:18:37 · answer #1 · answered by MightyRighty 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Compressed oxygen probably would be better performance wise but you would be sitting on a ticking bomb. Say you had an accident that ruptured the O2 tank......... which is more than likely in the cabin of the car.... one passenger compartment full of oxygen and the likelihood of sparks / flames.
I believe NO is inert until split into N and O by the pressure in the combustion chamber.
As well as providing extra oxygen it also aids keeping cylinder temps down as it cools dramatically as it expands out of the tank.
2006-10-23 11:11:16 · answer #2 · answered by SussedIt 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Nitrous oxide is stored as a liquid, and upon evaporating creates significantly more volume of oxidizer is the same space. Oxygen can be store as a liquid as well, but needs a cryogenic storage unit. Nitrous, on the other hand, is a liquid at its vapor pressure, so doesn't evaporate until you release the pressure.
2006-10-23 11:13:36 · answer #3 · answered by jooker 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Oxygen does not burn and is not flammable. It is needed to allow everything else to burn and will accelerate a fire once started. It has to do with the temperature of the liquids being stored as someone else mentioned.
2006-10-23 11:34:37 · answer #4 · answered by iwingameover 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋