REFLECTOR: nitrogen in tires...

Stockman, Bill bill.stockman at daytonaero.com
Thu Apr 30 10:29:38 CDT 2009


Guys, while truly an exciting discussion about how many nitrogen
molecules can fit on your head, the reality is most of you will wear out
your tires in the first 100 hrs due to taxi practice, poor alignment,
exciting landings and failure to keep your feet off the brakes (which
also will wear out)-long before any benefits from nitrogen can accrue.

 

Bill Stockman, Senior Associate

Dayton Aerospace

 

(937) 369-4799 cell

(937) 426-4300 work

bill.stockman at daytonaero.com

________________________________

From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
Behalf Of Chuck Jensen
Sent: Thursday, April 30, 2009 11:24 AM
To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: nitrogen in tires...

 

The difference in leak rate of different gases is insignificant compared
to the leak rate of ANY gases through the new inner tubes.  The newer
tube material is a vast improvement over tubes from several years ago.
It's not unusual for the new no-leak tubes to hold their pressure for
several months.  Spend the money on good tubes, rather than nitrogen.
IMO

Chuck Jensen 

 

	-----Original Message-----
	From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org
[mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org]On Behalf Of Alex Balic
	Sent: Thursday, April 30, 2009 10:56 AM
	To: 'Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list'
	Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: nitrogen in tires...

	Hi Al,

	I agree with you that the O2 molecule is actually bit larger
than the N2, but the leak rate through the tire (if that could be
counted at all) can be different for different gasses- if you inflate a
latex party balloon (very thin membrane I know) with helium, (a
significantly smaller molecule than Nitrogen) it will leak out at about
10x the rate of an air inflated balloon-  they will only stay inflated
for only about 2 days or so - I know this not an apples to apples
example, but it does demonstrate the effect. 

	 

	
________________________________


	From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org
[mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On Behalf Of Al Gietzen
	Sent: Thursday, April 30, 2009 12:33 AM
	To: steve at hord.com; 'Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list'
	Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: nitrogen in tires...

	 

	 [1] Nitrogen is denser than Oxygen: This means the larger
molecules

	escape less easily from tires resulting in a more gradual loss
of

	pressure over time. According to the Michelin Tire Manual, a
tire that

	is inflated with Nitrogen loses its pressure 3 times slower than
if it

	were inflated with air.

	 

	Clearly this discussion has already gone beyond its merits for
our purposes; but for scientific interest we should at least know that
oxygen, atomic number 8, is a larger atom than nitrogen, atomic number
7; and the density of oxygen, O2, is 14% greater than nitrogen, N2; when
at the same pressure.  Beyond that, the size of the atom - or molecule
when two atoms are joined, is irrelevant to the leak rate or loss of
pressure in the tire.

	 

	I could go on . . . but, no; I'll spare you:-)

	 

	 Al

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