Researchers at the University of Washington are developing a new zeroemission automobile propulsion concept that uses liquid nitrogen as the fuel. The principle of operation is like that of a steam engine, except there is no combustion involved. Instead, liquid nitrogen at –320° F –196° C is pressurized and then vaporized in a heat exchanger by the ambient temperature of the surrounding air. This heat exchanger is like the radiator of a car but instead of using air to cool water, it uses air to heat and boil liquid nitrogen. The resulting highpressure nitrogen gas is fed to an engine that operates like a reciprocating steam engine, converting pressure to mechanical power. The only exhaust is nitrogen, which is the major constituent of our atmosphere.

Address: University of Washington - CryoCar , Aerospace and Energetics Research Program Box 352250 Seattle, WA 98195-2250
Website: http://www.aa.washington.edu/AERP/CRYOCAR/CryoCar.htm