air powered scooter.

[Blackhawk9898]

even if you could get the pressure wouldnt the air justgo to the surface as soon as you turned the valve?

 

[LosR3]

I guess I will just have to settle with my split fins for now....But when my buddy is not looking I tow from his bottle usually works good and saves my energy

 

[whitedragon13]

you can make all the hydrogen and oxygen you need with a 12v battery, electrodes, and water.

 

[kidspot]

hmm - during my recent cert cours I kept "losing" my (assigned) buddy - turned out he kept grabbing onto my tank valve and catching a ride - I didn't notice, except that I was getting frustrated losing track of him over and over during our open water dives. At least he discovered an inexpensive alternative to an eletric scooter.

Tim

 

[Acapulco]

Air powered scooters do exist, I know that because I bought one in Germany last june. Indeed before I tought they didn't, so it can't be a very common thing. This one is nice because it's fast, smooth, very very powerfull. It's not so nice because it's heavy, very noisy and needs a lot of air. I use it for exploration of seabed around wrecks, depth up to 200 feet, but have to put three 80 cft tanks on it and carry two myself. Eventually I am planing to put two electrial motors in it addionaly, to get more time

 

[SamDiver14]

You know that they almost built a nuclear powered jet one time...... good ideas aren't always really that great.

Why not build a spring loaded device that you wind up? Then when it runs out you just crank it some more. Store the energy in the spring, release it more slowly to a propellor, effectively use gears... etc.

 

[moneysavr]

I eat three hard-boiled eggs and a pack of Velamints about an hour before I dive. There's some kind of reaction between the sulfur in the egg yolks and something in the Velamints that causes mass gassing. This combination has proven itself reliable for about 3 or four seven second "turbo boosts." If people ask about the bubbles I just tell them that my alternate must have been free-flowing.

Kevin,
So thats how you blast across the top of the reef!
Its not the Jet fins!
Dive safe Dude!
Brad

 

[moneysavr]

I did a SB search trying to find if anyone had any plans for an air powered scooter. The only thing that I found seemed to employ air pressure to turn a prop. I'm wondering if there are any plans for a scooter that just uses a directed flow of raw air from a AL80 cylinder. Even if there is no method of altering the direction of the nozzle, it seems to me that if the air flow could be easily regulated and directed straight back, all that would be needed would be a way to make the tank neutrally boyant, and a few handles to the user could turn the tank to direct the thrust.

Or is this a pipe dream?

- PV.

PV,
Nope I had the same idea, plan to make my own this summer,on my list after I get my drop camera case & Light to work down to 450FSW!

1- AL 80
1 - air motor as the come in all types of CU Ft per min, ie Air Tool see "Northern supply" cheap less than $30.00
1 -Scuba reg to get air down to 100-150 off second stage= off ebay?
1- hose and air gauge
1 - band and clamp using tank to clamp strap on and clamp on air motor,reg on tank,hose on quick disconect to air motor.
1- prop from trolling motor with 3/8" shaft to fit air motor chuck
Now the motor has a variable speed control harder you push on handle more air to motor so a motor that runs at 1 cuft per min should give you close to 80 min full bore bottom time.

One thing you need to re route air discharge from air tool motor so its not in your face,you need a reg that will not freeze up with major air draw,*** last after each dive you will need to feed a mineral oil thru the air tool motor or it will be junk quick!
*** Mine will be used in fresh water, salt may toast the air tool way fast but they do make in line oil - air feed's hate to see your suit after that dive!

Man you may think I am nuts,Hell I know it!
Dive safe!
Brad

 

[Cold_Under_Here]

What about using Hydrogen and Oxygen to produce electricity that can be used for the motor?

Under compression you end up having a lot of both and enough can be produced to run a bus all day!

Its worth a thought, and I thought I have given it

Just realise this. The hydrogen does not "produce" electricty. It is simply a medium in which to store electrical energy. Look at the chemicals in your battery (don't really!), they contain chemicals which when reacted correctlt produce a potential/voltage , power plants use the energy stored in coal/oil/gas to generate electricty. You need to get the hydrogen and oxygen from somewhere. There was a suggestion:

you can make all the hydrogen and oxygen you need with a 12v battery, electrodes, and water.

Now why wouldn't I just use a battery? Hydrogen may contain more energy per unit mass, but you have to generate it and then compress it. You will probably use more energy to produce it than would be worth its value in energy per unit mass.

I think a compressed air DVP may be feasible if there are more developments in compresed tank materials..etc. I have worked with 5000psi tanks (high pressure carbon fibre hydrogen tanks), and these could reduce the weight and girth of the underwater vehicles.

For now, take a look at these very cool compressed air cars:
http://www.theaircar.com/
(check out the engine!)

These would be a more versatile option for cars of the future. The only ingredients needed are a compressor (which needs power) and any gas (air!!)! A fuel cell car needs water and electricity. Air is much easier to obtain and ..transport, than water.
I want a DPV now!!!... but I must get a dry suit first!!

cheers!! :14:

 

[spectrum]

I don't know about this..

Varriable speed is one thing. Getting the speed with the right torque is quite another. BTW I've done some air motor designs in the past. They like to go fast more than be torquey so a gear reduction may be in order. That could actually let you use less air to generate the same workforce.

The good news is that just about everyting you need will have future use in diving or in the garage so what the heck!

Pete

PV,
Nope I had the same idea, plan to make my own this summer,on my list after I get my drop camera case & Light to work down to 450FSW!

1- AL 80
1 - air motor as the come in all types of CU Ft per min, ie Air Tool see "Northern supply" cheap less than $30.00
1 -Scuba reg to get air down to 100-150 off second stage= off ebay?
1- hose and air gauge
1 - band and clamp using tank to clamp strap on and clamp on air motor,reg on tank,hose on quick disconect to air motor.
1- prop from trolling motor with 3/8" shaft to fit air motor chuck
Now the motor has a variable speed control harder you push on handle more air to motor so a motor that runs at 1 cuft per min should give you close to 80 min full bore bottom time.

One thing you need to re route air discharge from air tool motor so its not in your face,you need a reg that will not freeze up with major air draw,*** last after each dive you will need to feed a mineral oil thru the air tool motor or it will be junk quick!
*** Mine will be used in fresh water, salt may toast the air tool way fast but they do make in line oil - air feed's hate to see your suit after that dive!

Man you may think I am nuts,Hell I know it!
Dive safe!
Brad