Nitrogen

[CL290005]

Nitrogen for aircraft and F1 tyres

Planes fly at heights where temperatures may be as low as -40C. Moisture in the tyres can freeze causing vibration and balance problems when landing. Pure nitrogen is dry so eliminates this problem. Using dried compressed air could achieve the same thing.In motor sport, the elimination of moisture in tyres through the use of pure nitrogen (or dried compressed air) can help reduce tyre temperature when operating in extreme conditions, close to maximum load/speed.

Nitrogen in car tyres

For passenger car tyres the main claims seem to be:Less corrosion – because unlike air there's no moisture in pure nitrogenSlower rate of pressure loss – nitrogen molecules are larger than oxygen molecules (which make up 21% of compressed air)Air loss can occur through the inner liner of the tyre as well through the valve, punctures, or failure of the seal between tyre and wheel rim. Pure nitrogen might leak more slowly through the liner, but you would still have to check tyre condition and pressure regularly.Corrosion of the tyre from using normal compressed air is unlikely anyway because only the outer tread band of a car tyre contains steel – the amount of moisture reaching it from the inside is minimal.To change to nitrogen you have to have the air already in the tyres removed before the tyres are re-inflated with purified compressed nitrogen. There will be a one-off charge per tyre but once filled with nitrogen, future top-ups would have to be with nitrogen if any advantages are to be maintained.Overall, while accepting the possibility of purified nitrogen being of benefit in certain applications, we don't think that the cost and possible inconvenience are justified for normal passenger car use.

(4 January 2013)

Quote from AA

[Matt Seabrook]

Nitrogen for aircraft and F1 tyres

Planes fly at heights where temperatures may be as low as -40C. Moisture in the tyres can freeze causing vibration and balance problems when landing. Pure nitrogen is dry so eliminates this problem. Using dried compressed air could achieve the same thing.In motor sport, the elimination of moisture in tyres through the use of pure nitrogen (or dried compressed air) can help reduce tyre temperature when operating in extreme conditions, close to maximum load/speed.

Nitrogen in car tyres

For passenger car tyres the main claims seem to be:Less corrosion – because unlike air there's no moisture in pure nitrogenSlower rate of pressure loss – nitrogen molecules are larger than oxygen molecules (which make up 21% of compressed air)Air loss can occur through the inner liner of the tyre as well through the valve, punctures, or failure of the seal between tyre and wheel rim. Pure nitrogen might leak more slowly through the liner, but you would still have to check tyre condition and pressure regularly.Corrosion of the tyre from using normal compressed air is unlikely anyway because only the outer tread band of a car tyre contains steel – the amount of moisture reaching it from the inside is minimal.To change to nitrogen you have to have the air already in the tyres removed before the tyres are re-inflated with purified compressed nitrogen. There will be a one-off charge per tyre but once filled with nitrogen, future top-ups would have to be with nitrogen if any advantages are to be maintained.Overall, while accepting the possibility of purified nitrogen being of benefit in certain applications, we don't think that the cost and possible inconvenience are justified for normal passenger car use.

(4 January 2013)

Quote from AA

 

 

So to summaries the last post and has been said by others on here nitrogen in car tyres is b****cks then.

 

We will put it in tyres if customers car if they insist on it but I always advise if asked its a waist of money. We use pure bottled nitrogen as well and purge the tyres as best we can but its still b****cks.

[User0083]

So do tyres on a dry, hot day?

[SteveD]

yup b*****k*

[bhouse]

Half of it could be down to correct tyre pressure!.

Very telling...

[dombanks]

i get bottled farts from Middlewich Auto Bodies - delivered by Owl like in Harry Potter

I tried this but found it to be quite corrosive .... Melted the tyres!

[Norman Verona]

I also tried it. It was OK until I bent down to let some air out of the tyre.

[stewart pickles]

to do it properly you need to vac the tyre and purge it with ofn (oxygen free nitrogen) the only reason i would do it is because the gas does not expand like oxygen with heat. on track days etc when your tyres get hot your pressure goes up.

personally i couldn't be bothered using it and i have all the gear to do it

[SteveD]

mr pickles wuv i thought in tests the pressure went up higher then normal air filled tyres

[stewart pickles]

no it does not mr d

 

being a refrigeration engineer you need to know about these things  

[SteveD]

i know but i thought in some of the tests on fith gear etc it went up higher than standard air filled tyres

[stewart pickles]

can't have been a leak free tyre then  or not charged with nitrogen properly, look up triple vac to see how it should be done  

[SteveD]

i had a tripple vac this morning

[stewart pickles]

lol what did you charge your self with 134a    

[SteveD]

duno wuv but it helped me through beirutingham