1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

80 mpg! Nitrogen Works ;)

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Fuel Economy' started by SageBrush, Apr 5, 2011.

Page 1 of 2
  1. SageBrush

    SageBrush Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 4, 2008
    11,627
    2,530
    8
    Location:
    Southwest Colorado
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Two
    Car taken to Costco for tyres rotation, fuel and shopping (combing trips is a mantra in my house.) Trip back home is 11 miles and 367 meters up, that returned 45 mpg on the scangauge. If my arithmetic is correct this is 76 - 80 mpg. I used 1365 kg as mass and assumed 35% engine efficiency. SOC was one bar lower, estimated at 0.2 kwh. Matches my best ever round-trip result.

    Must be the nitrogen in the tyres ;)

    Ah, addendum: the SOC delta has to be divided by 0.35, equal to 0.571 kwh of petrol and not the 0.2 kwh I put in the calc. I barely scraped 74 mpg :( Bloody Nitrogen.
     
    #1 SageBrush, Apr 5, 2011
  2. Mark57

    Mark57 2021 Tesla Model 3 LR AWD

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2009
    2,945
    2,736
    0
    Location:
    OK
    Vehicle:
    Other Electric Vehicle
    Model:
    N/A
    You didn't give yourself any credit for operator skill. ;)
     
    #2 Mark57, Apr 5, 2011
  3. sipnfuel

    sipnfuel New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2011
    1,080
    174
    0
    Location:
    So. Cal.
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Tyres? Where are you located?
     
    #3 sipnfuel, Apr 5, 2011
  4. KK6PD

    KK6PD _ . _ . / _ _ . _

    Joined:
    Mar 24, 2008
    4,003
    944
    118
    Location:
    Los Angeles Foothills
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Tyres, a bit south of Birmingham lad!!!
     
    #4 KK6PD, Apr 5, 2011
  5. sipnfuel

    sipnfuel New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2011
    1,080
    174
    0
    Location:
    So. Cal.
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Oh ok... do they tax vehicles based on engine displacement in the UK?
     
    #5 sipnfuel, Apr 5, 2011
  6. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2010
    4,539
    1,433
    9
    Location:
    Northern California
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Put twice as much N2 in and see if you get twice the improvement.:D
     
    #6 xs650, Apr 5, 2011
    1 person likes this.
  7. hyo silver

    hyo silver Awaaaaay

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2005
    15,232
    1,563
    0
    Location:
    off into the sunset
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Wait 'til you try helium. ;)
     
    #7 hyo silver, Apr 5, 2011
  8. SageBrush

    SageBrush Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 4, 2008
    11,627
    2,530
    8
    Location:
    Southwest Colorado
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Two
    Now THAT is one heck of an idea. I know you jest -- but why not ? Maybe the volumes are too small to matter ? You also would have to replace losses much more frequently.

    <<<<Qbee>>>>>
     
    #8 SageBrush, Apr 5, 2011
  9. FreydNot

    FreydNot Member

    Joined:
    Dec 16, 2010
    210
    37
    0
    Location:
    Seattle, WA USA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Hydrogen is the bomb!
     
    #9 FreydNot, Apr 6, 2011
  10. mikewithaprius

    mikewithaprius New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2011
    656
    103
    6
    Location:
    Rhode Island
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Nice ride, Sagebrush.

    I think everyone's on to something brilliant. Fill the cabin of the car with helium, wear an oxygen mask. 100 mpg for everyone.
     
    #10 mikewithaprius, Apr 6, 2011
  11. hyo silver

    hyo silver Awaaaaay

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2005
    15,232
    1,563
    0
    Location:
    off into the sunset
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    If it works for cars, it should be even more effective on airplanes, right? Imagine how much fuel could be saved!

     
    #11 hyo silver, Apr 6, 2011
  12. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2010
    4,539
    1,433
    9
    Location:
    Northern California
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    I filled the cabin of my car with 80% Nitrogen and also 20% Oxygen so I won't need an Oxygen mask. It's great combination, I recommend it.
     
    #12 xs650, Apr 6, 2011
  13. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2006
    18,058
    3,074
    7
    Location:
    Northern Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    I wonder if you would get a higher pitched tire noise?

    Tom
     
    #13 qbee42, Apr 6, 2011
  14. mikewithaprius

    mikewithaprius New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2011
    656
    103
    6
    Location:
    Rhode Island
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    :p

    Brilliant! It's important not to be too airy but rather err on the side of caution, so best that you put in a little O, too. I will attempt N let you know how it goes.
     
    #14 mikewithaprius, Apr 6, 2011
  15. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2010
    4,539
    1,433
    9
    Location:
    Northern California
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    I would highly recommend O2 and N2 instead of O and N.
     
    #15 xs650, Apr 6, 2011
  16. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 14, 2009
    6,722
    2,121
    45
    Location:
    North Yorkshire, UK
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    I have no idea why you think it's the Nitrogen in the tyres. I just use cheap air (which does have quite a bit of Nitrogen in it!) and managed 80 mpg on a run of 16 miles from Harrogate to Leeds center. There was a nice slope down into the city as you can see :)

    This is 80 mpg UK which is about 65 mpg US.

    You just have to drive nice and steady. If I can do it anyone can!

    [​IMG]
     
    #16 GrumpyCabbie, Apr 6, 2011
  17. sipnfuel

    sipnfuel New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2011
    1,080
    174
    0
    Location:
    So. Cal.
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    I like to eat Mexican food before I drive. That way I'm full of gas and therefore lighter. As a bonus, the Prius cabin is filled with lighter CH4. It improves MPG and I swear I get an extra 3.14% boost out of it.

    The only thing is the my Prius no longer qualifies as AT-PZEV.
     
    #17 sipnfuel, Apr 6, 2011
  18. Nandros

    Nandros Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2010
    44
    13
    0
    Location:
    Lechaio Corinth, Greece
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Must be the nitrogen in the tyres ;) DEFINITELY NO!
    Earth's atmosphere contains roughly (by molar content/volume) 78.09% nitrogen, 20.95% oxygen, a variable amount (average around 0.247%, National Center for Atmospheric Research) water vapor, 0.93% argon, 0.038% carbon dioxide, and traces of hydrogen, helium, and other "noble" gases.


     
    #18 Nandros, Apr 6, 2011
  19. Nandros

    Nandros Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2010
    44
    13
    0
    Location:
    Lechaio Corinth, Greece
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Must be the nitrogen in the tyres ;) DEFINITELY NOT!
    Earth's atmosphere contains roughly (by molar content/volume) 78.09% nitrogen, 20.95% oxygen, a variable amount (average around 0.247%, National Center for Atmospheric Research) water vapor, 0.93% argon, 0.038% carbon dioxide, and traces of hydrogen, helium, and other "noble" gases.


     
    #19 Nandros, Apr 6, 2011
  20. skruse

    skruse Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 6, 2004
    1,454
    97
    0
    Location:
    Coloma CA - Sierra Nevada
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Earth's atmosphere is 79% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, plus some trace gases. Putting pure nitrogen inside the tires is nice, but it does nothing to change the mass of the vehicle. In effect, nitrogen inside tires has little or no effect.
     
    #20 skruse, Apr 6, 2011
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)
Page 1 of 2