[Gasification] low/no nitrogen

[Ken Boak]

GF, List

The nitrogen content in atmospheric air is probably essential to prevent the 
metallic surfaces within a conventional IC engine from burning up. It 
represents a large thermal burden to the internal combustion and prevents 
the flame temperatures inside the cylinder from becoming excessive. Burn any 
hydrocarbon in pure oxygen and you have temperatures, such as oxy-acetylene, 
which can reach in excess of 3300 degrees C.

Hypothetically, if the atmospheric nitrogen were to be replaced with another 
non-reactive gas, that provided this cooling function then this might be a 
possibility. I'm only speculating, but a mixture of carbon dioxide and 
oxygen, might work, and produce an exhaust that was mostly hot CO2.

However I expect the economics of producing O2 would make this non-viable.

Ken