Nitrogen-filled tires help ease pain at pump

Tag : Compressed Air Can

High-priced gas in the tank could mean a different type of gas inthe tires in an effort to reduce pain at the pump.
Nitrogen is becoming a popular alternative for filling tires and anoption for local governments trying to keep fuel and maintenanceexpenses low.
About one-fifth of the City of Frederick 's 500-vehicle fleet is now running on nitrogen-inflated tires,said Jack Brown, the city's supervisor for vehicle and equipmentmaintenance.
"There's no moisture in nitrogen," Brown said. "You don't have thetremendous expansion (and contraction) with compressed air."
The non-flammable gas, which is a larger molecule than oxygen,keeps tire pressure consistent at a range of temperatures andincreases fuel efficiency, Brown said. The city has been usingnitrogen for about eight months as tires are replaced on vehicles.
Also, with no moisture, nitrogen does not have the same corrosiveeffect on tire linings and wheels, he said.
For police cars and other high mileage vehicles, nitrogen can be amoney-saver. The city has a contract with Butler Tire Service andpays $5 to inflate a tire with nitrogen, Brown said.
The city's contract is cost-effective for now, he said, but as morevehicles come to depend on the gas an $1,800 nitrogen generatormight become a worthwhile purchase.
The city has not done a study on the fuel savings caused by thenitrogen-filled tires, but Brown said he can personally attest tothe efficiency of the gas.
With a daily commute from Washington County, Brown saidnitrogen-filled tires on his own vehicle add at least one mile toevery gallon.
Nitrogen is also becoming a popular alternative for privatecitizens wanting to save a money on gas.
Darcars Toyota of Frederick offers nitrogen for vehicles serviced there.
The $45 fee for nitrogen includes a total purge of pre-existing airin the tire, said Erik Berrios of the dealer's service department.
"It has been in high demand ever since gas prices have gone up,"said Berrios, who usually fills 10 to 15 vehicles with nitrogenevery day.
Jason Copeland, president of Industrial Diagnostics, said thebenefits of nitrogen for tire inflation have been known for years,especially in racing and on aircraft.
Copeland's Millersville company designs and installs compressed airsystems including the one Darcars uses.
He said drivers will usually see a 5 to 15 percent increase in fuelsavings with nitrogen in their tires.
In his own truck, Copeland said he has increased his mileage bymore than three miles per gallon. In almost a year's time he haslost about two pounds of tire pressure, he said.
With regular compressed air, a vehicle will lose an average twopounds of pressure per square inch per month, Copeland said.
Although he has sold only three systems, the expected demand fornitrogen generators prompted Copeland to hire a sales managerdevoted to the units. The company is working on contracts withlocal and state government agencies, he said.
"Now that the fuel price has really started to climb and is notbacking down, we're really starting to see demand for it."