Compressed air inlet charging:

[Rex Schimmer]

Pretty interesting article in "Hot Rod" about using compressed air to supercharge an engine. It appears that a company is actually getting a set up that works. Mickey Thompson and Bob Keene worked on it back in the early 80s but couldn't get it reliable but this new system looks like it could happen. The big plus(s) are 1. No horse power required to turn the blower. 2. The inlet air due to the expansion of the air from the  tank is around zero degree F. Both of these can make big horse power while greatly reducing the stress on the engine. I would guess you would run in the blown class at the salt.(?) They get some pretty good increase in hp with fairly low inlet pressures.

Rex

[wobblywalrus]

Modern electronic fuel injection makes this concept much more attractive.

[RidgeRunner]

     LSR longer course storage capacity needs could become a packaging issue.

                            Ed

[Jack Gifford]

... I would guess you would run in the blown class...

Maybe someone knows the answer to my question (without needing to read the whole rulebook another time): Is there a rule that requires superchargers to be engine driven in some manner (mechanically or via exhaust energy)?

[Malcolm UK]

Maybe someone knows the answer to my question (without needing to read the whole rulebook another time): Is there a rule that requires superchargers to be engine driven in some manner (mechanically or via exhaust energy)?

The rule book I have defines a 'blown' engine by describing what a supercharger or turbo charger is and does, 4.FF. The system with compressed air raises the intake pressures above atmospheric so would surely be captured as 'blown'.

If Nitrous oxide is considered in the rules to be worthy of installation as a 'fuel system', would the use of a compressed air bottle and system be the same? [After all it is only the percentage of O2 that differs].  If so, would the SCTA then be the first racing organisation to rule that the oxidant (air) sent into the internal combustion engine must be installed to the same standards as the fuel being delivered to the engine?

Why not run on Nitrous Oxide/fuel, rather than just air, throughout the run - less volume needed? 

[Malcolm UK]

Hot Rod magazine ran a couple of articles on compressed air use for competition engines - Mickey Thompson with his 'bottle baby' funny car engine and later the phrase 'thermocharging' was coined for a top fueller (may be in the Garlits museum) with an air system (a cylinder the length of the chassis in front of the cockpit but may have had a sidewinder located engine(?). 

I now remember doing some maths on the system for UK speed events (1000ft hill climbs and 1.5 mile sprint circuits) and the pressure vessel construction rules meant the weight penalty was too great for the power released - and driveability was then an issue.

[dw230]

4.FF, 1st sentence:

"For purposes of classification, Blown(supercharged) will be an artificially-aspirated engine with a mechanically-driven supercharger and/or exhaust-driven turbocharger powered by the primary engine. ..."

DW

[Dynoroom]

Back in the early 1960's this current LSR streamliner owner ran the car pictured below at NHRA events. It was much faster than the current top fuel cars of the time so he was asked to not return with it, I think his words were "they banned it"

So see if you know who is said streamliner racer/owner? 

[Sumner]

...So see if you know who is said streamliner racer/owner? 

Dale Grantham turbine dragster ??

Sum

[Dynoroom]

...So see if you know who is said streamliner racer/owner? 

Dale Grantham turbine dragster ??

Sum

Nope. Does Dale currently run a streamliner? Which one?

[krusty]

     I have no idea of who this is but it looks like his shoulders and upper arms might get a little chilled on a run...

     vic

[Glen]

Back in the early 1960's this current LSR streamliner owner ran the car pictured below at NHRA events. It was much faster than the current top fuel cars of the time so he was asked to not return with it, I think his words were "they banned it"

So see if you know who is said streamliner racer/owner? 

The vehicle was banned at Lions drag strip when it got loose in the pits and crashed into a trailer several feet away. I was there and saw it run and right after it crashed. Lucky no one was hurt or killed.

[John Burk]

Dale Grantham made demonstration runs at the 1962 Indy Nationals .

[wlarryglick]

Dale Grantham died about 40 or so years ago while flying his home-built aircraft. )

[Dean Los Angeles]

Never try to read between the lines in the rule book. You could certainly argue that compressed air is outside the rule definition, but the powers that be won't let that happen.
If you want to eliminate the friction losses from a supercharger, why not eliminate all that useless nitrogen and run oxygen?