Jun. 23, 2010 (United Press International) -- Scientists in India say they have conceptually designed a motorcycle engine that uses compressed air, rather than gasoline, to generate power.
The researchers -- Bharat Raj Singh and Onkar Singh of the SMS Institute of Technology in Lucknow, India -- said their new, cleaner motorcycle engine would use compressed air to turn a small air turbine, generating enough power to run for up to 40 minutes.
They said such a motorcycle could be combined with a compressed air cylinder as a replacement for traditional internal combustion engines. In areas where motorcycles are a major source of public transportation, such a technology could cut emissions substantially if widely implemented, they said.
Singh said designing a compact, high-capacity air tank to store sufficient "fuel" for long rides would be a major hurdle. Existing tanks would require someone to stop about every 19 miles to swap tanks.
The research is reported in the May 6 issue of the Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy.
