Quote:
Originally Posted by Bicycle Bob
Imagine a city full of compressed air cars at rush hour. One accident, and a chain reaction blows up a whole traffic jam, and any nearby parking lots. Compressed air is the equivalent of high explosive as a fuel, requiring no oxygen or time to release the full potential.
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Sorry but the danger issue is not that real.
Using many of the same techniques used in CNG and hydrogen cars air tanks can be made safe. (at least as safe as a gas tank)
Far as I know all high pressure vessels (and for as long as I can remember) are Leak before blow. This means even under diress they will mearly leak quickly but not blow.
Next while air has explosive force (if the tank were not leak before blow) that can be easily diffused with a relatively small lightweight baffling around the tank with an obvious ejection point.
Although it still would be frightening if it went, it would not cause enough damage to anything around to cause a chain reaction.
Finally this is all moot since the range and efficiency suck.
The only efficient way of compressing air would be to use the depth (and temperature gradient) of a cold ocean on a massive scale, even then there are no efficient motors to use the efficiently compressed air.
Cheers
Ryan