Air Engine Project Report

Submitted by:
Amna Batool
Bme 163037
Asad Jamshed
Bme 163068
Muhammad Taimoor
Bme163133

Submitted to:
Sir Raja Awais

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering

Capital University of Science and Technology
Islamabad

13th June, 2018

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Abstract:
This report is concerned with air engine 4 bar mechanism which is based on simple design model
of low cost. And basic model of the air engine. applied a series of fundamental engineering
skills using a variety of equipment and machinery to work with precision. This project was a
challenge and massive confidence builder.
If idea of something is proposed, then there must be some advantages of using it and the most
obvious advantage would be Eco friendly. There's no combustion, in fact, I can't think of a
chemical Reaction. So, we don't have emission problems. Works in any environment. More
specifically, the compressed air cars we're likely to see in the near future won't pollute at all until
they reach speeds exceeding 35 miles per hour. That's when the car's internal air compressor will
kick in to achieve extra speed. The motor that runs this air compressor will require fuel that'll
produce a small amount of air pollution.
Air engines have the biggest disadvantage of storage of air. Since the amount of energy required
for high torque and longer distance needs a heavy and large tank. This issue can be solved by
carbon fiber tank. Engine-Air motors and similar design solutions can bring efficiency to new
height. Tata Motors has started automobile application(prototypes) with MDI, France.
In this report the methodology of the project is also given step by step. Also how the project
turned out and it’s results and figures are also given.
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Table of Contents
Abstract:................................................................................................................................2
List of figures……………………………………………………………………………………..3
1.0 Introduction:....................................................................................................................5
1.1 Types of Air engines:...................................................................................................................5
1.11 Rotary..........................................................................................................................................5
1.12 Reciprocating...............................................................................................................................5
1.2 Technique used for standard model design project:...................................................................5
1.3 Our Technique of fabrication:....................................................................................................6
2.0 Purpose of this project:....................................................................................................6
3.0 Methodology:....................................................................................................................6
3.1Material required:........................................................................................................................6
3.2 Procedure:...................................................................................................................................6
4.0 Results:.............................................................................................................................7
5.0 Analysis:...........................................................................................................................7
6.0 Conclusion:.......................................................................................................................8
References..............................................................................................................................9
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List of figures:
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1.0 Introduction:
The air engine is an emission-free piston engine using compressed air. The engines are similar
to steam engines as they use the expansion of externally supplied pressurised gas to perform
work against a piston. Small single cylinder engines are incorporated into small toy flying
airplane models.

The air engine is thought to have originated with a 17th-century German physicist, Otto von
Guericke. Guericke invented an air pump and was probably the first to make metal pistons,
cylinders, and connecting rods, the basic components of the reciprocating engine. In the 17th
century a Dutch inventor, Christiaan Huygens, produced an engine that worked by air pressure
developed by explosion of a powder charge. Denis Papin of France built a model engine on the
vacuum principle, using the condensation of steam to produce the vacuum. An air engine was
patented in England in 1799, and a grid of compressor stations was proposed to service vehicles.
An air-powered vehicle is said to have been produced in 1832.

1.1 Types of Air engines:

There are two major types of air engines.

1.11 Rotary.
1.12 Reciprocating.

Rotary air engines use a turbine to convert the energy of high-speed air into rotational velocity.
These engines are commonly seen in air tools, such as the air-powered impact drivers used in
automotive repair shops. They are normally associated with high speed and low torque, and
would need to be 'geared down' considerably to be useful in our application. A schematic of a
rotary air engine is shown in the figure at right. A jet of compressed air is directed at the vanes of
a turbine, which is forced to rotate. Of course, the torque output can be increased by increasing
the size of the vanes, at the cost of a significant increase in compressed air consumption.

The reciprocating engine uses a crank to transform the up-and-down motion of a piston to
rotational motion at the output shaft. The reciprocating engine we will develop here is modeled
on the mechanism used in steam locomotives in the nineteenth century. Reciprocating engines
are characterized by high torque and (relatively) low speed, and are very well-suited to the
bench-scale hybrid powertrain.

1.2 Technique used for standard model design project:

2nd level Air Engine:
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The second level air engine was designed with simple technique [ CITATION Ana16 \l 1033 ] . There
is a pump with the hole at the top and the piston that moves up and down in acrylic cylinder.
That is where the air comes out and goes into the pipe and reaches the main cylinder with the
other piston.
That cylinder has two holes in the outer end, which is connected to another shaft so that it can
move up and down, and on the other end it is connected to the wheel, bit off centered acting like
a cam.
This wheel is slightly heavy and moves smoothly on the bearing and that completes it assembly.

1.3 Our Technique of fabrication:

We used the same technique for our project but very simply and made it less costly. We used
plastic and wood to make the 2 nd level air engine, which are cheaper. We used this technique
because it is less costly with the same advantages.
This technique is very useful where plenty of engines are required to run today’s world.

2.0 Purpose of this project:

The main purpose of this project is to apply the knowledge of mechanics of machines that we
gained from this course and lab. As today it is the main concern to use air engines in mechanical
world, the purpose is to learn more about air engines. Their advantages and disadvantages. Also
to understands the mechanics behind working of an air engine.

3.0 Methodology:
3.1Material required:
1. Wood.
2. Cardboard.
3. Threads.
4. Scale.
5. Pencil.
6. Plastic bottle.
7. Aluminum foil.
8. Pipe.
9. Steel rod.
10. A plastic cylinder.
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3.2 Procedure:
1. A long plastic cylinder was used as a pump with hole at the top and a piston to move up
and down, inside the acrylic cylinder.

2. A pipe with taken out of that cylinder which reaches to another (main) cylinder with
another piston.

3. The main cylinder also has holes on the outer end.

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4. The piston of the main cylinder is connected to the shaft that can move back and front.
5. And that piston is connected to another shaft so that it can move up and down.

6. on the other end it is connected to the wheel, bit off centered acting like a cam.
7. This completes the assembly of the project.
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4.0 Results:
After all the procedures mentioned above we successfully fabricate 2nd level Air Engine, that
maintains its stability and remain balanced throughout its motion. It has one degree of freedom.
After completion of this project we are now able to apply knowledge of mechanics of machines
in making these engines and others simple kind of machines.
In the practical world, this particular machine is use to run automobiles and other industries for
different purposes.

5.0 Analysis:
For the purpose of comparing my project with a standard project so that we can see where
our project lacks or is ahead in benchmarking. And for that we took [ CITATION Ana16 \l
1033 ] Air engine as standard project. In our project
The paper contains a description of the design and working of this engine, supported by
analysis of its structure. The results obtained from this analysis have been applied for the
working of an air engine and getting desired results, as it should work. One of the main
design objectives was the simplicity.
If we talk about our project, the advantage of making this simply is to make it less costly
than the standard project, which was achieved. But its disadvantage is that the wheel doesn’t
work as smoothly on the bearing as the one in the standard project[ CITATION Ana16 \l 1033 ]
We used the manual pump which works using hand while in the standard project use
automatic pump because of which it is less efficient than the standard project, but it works
completely fine as long the output is concerned. The output will not be as smooth as the
[ CITATION Ana16 \l 1033 ] project but the main purpose is fulfilled.

We believe that this project can be improved with some modifications, which will make it more
efficient than the current one.
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6.0 Conclusion:
Now a days science is evolving and there is a competition in terms of machines race. So in this
context our project is a little effort towards it. It is an air engine and the mechanism is simple and
stable as compared to other engine projects.
Its cheap value is a bonus because it can be created without any excess funds in pocket. So it’s
kind of bonus to learn and implement new ways in this project. While it has pros in many ways
but yet there are cons in terms of an environment friendly cheap engine.
With more research, it can be improved with few modification and can be updated with the perk
of its cheap price in future.
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References

lampton, C. (n.d.). How the air car works. Retrieved from How stuff works?:
https://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-efficiency/vehicles/air-car2.htm

Meti, A. (2016, july 14). Air engine. Goa.

purdy, Q. w. (n.d.). History of the automobiles. Retrieved from Encylopedia Britannica:

https://www.britannica.com/technology/automobile/History-of-the-automobile

Thermal fluid sciences- Air Engine project. (2013). Retrieved from Hybrid Power trains:
http://benchtophybrid.com/AE_Intro.html