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Thanks Hummingbird for that warm welcome! Here is a quote from Wikipedia that I copied and pasted here.
"Nitrogen gas has a wide variety of applications, including serving as an inert replacement for air where oxidation is undesirable;
To preserve the freshness of packaged or bulk foods (by delaying rancidity and other forms of oxidative damage),
In ordinary incandescent light bulbs as an inexpensive alternative to argon,
On top of liquid explosives for safety measures,
The production of electronic parts such as transistors, diodes, and integrated circuits,
Dried and pressurized, as a dielectric gas for high voltage equipment,
The manufacturing of stainless steel,
Use in military aircraft fuel systems to reduce fire hazard, see inerting system,
Filling automotive and aircraft tires due to its inertness and lack of moisture or oxidative qualities, as opposed to air, though this is not necessary for consumer automobiles."
It is true that nitrogen will react with oxygen to produce nitrogen oxide that will react the the platnum in the CATS to convert back to nitrogen and oxygen. So....explain to me how adding a "almost inert" substance, that does not support combustion, in fuel used in an internal combustion engine is good? I have never seen an engine with "dirty/plugged" injector on an engine with less than 120,000 miles so if ANY purposed "cleaning" benifit is claimed will be negated by the need for major engine rebuild any way. I have had severial cars with over 200,000 miles that the engine was overhauled and the original injectors was reused with no ill effects on MPG or performance. On high mileage engines that I have seen with fuel problems, the injector failure was caused by not replacing the fuel filter when required.
So....what I believe is one of two things.....Its a ploy to sell a product at above market prices with no actual benifit (nitrogen is very inexpensive) or to reduce power of the fuel on older higher compression engines.
It would be interesting to know if Shell has any business interest in a oxygen production facility as nitrogen is a "waste" byproduct. At nearly a 3 to 1 ratio of nitrogen/oxygen ratio in the atmosphere, (source for the oxygen) there is a huge market for pure oxygen but not as large for nitrogen. It might be a way for them to "dispose" of excess nitrogen without incurring the rath of EPA!
I ALWAYS run from any fuel that has any additive advertised. Alcohol included. But thats for another post!
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