Abstract: A compressed-air powered drive system for a vehicle (10) or a propeller-driven aircraft (12). In a land vehicle (10), the drive system includes a plurality of air motors (20) each driving a wheel (16) through a transmission device (18). Compressed air from an air storage tank (12) is supplied through a heat exchanger (40) to drive air motors. A fuel is burned in the heat exchanger (40) to provide hot, high pressure air to the first air motors. Water may be injected into the heat exchanger to provide a hot steam. A plurality of air pumps (22) are engaged with and driven by the wheels to pump air into the tank during driving. When braking, the air pumps (22) driven by the wheels (16) recapture kinetic energy by pumping air into the tank. The air motors can also act as pumps to pump air into the tank during braking by reversing the transmission devices.

Abstract: A compressed-air powered drive system for a vehicle (10) or a propeller-driven aircraft (12). In a land vehicle (10), the drive system includes a plurality of air motors (20) each driving a wheel (16) through a transmission device (18). Compressed air from an air storage tank (12) is supplied through a heat exchanger (40) to drive air motors. A fuel is burned in the heat exchanger (40) to provide hot, high pressure air to the first air motors. Water may be injected into the heat exchanger to provide a hot steam. A plurality of air pumps (22) are engaged with and driven by the wheels to pump air into the tank during driving. When braking, the air pumps (22) driven by the wheels (16) recapture kinetic energy by pumping air into the tank. The air motors can also act as pumps to pump air into the tank during braking by reversing the transmission devices.

Abstract: An air powered drive system for a vehicle such as an automobile or a propeller driven aircraft. In a land vehicle air pumps are connected to drive, or be driven by, each wheel. At least two air storage tanks are connected to the air pumps. A fuel is burned in one tank to provide hot, high pressure air that can be directed to selected air pumps to drive associated wheels. Meanwhile, other air pumps connected to a cool, lower pressure tank are driven by an associated wheels to act as an air compressor to compress cool ambient air in the tank. When air pressure in the heated tank drops, combustion is shut off there and begun in the other tank and the driving and filling tanks and pumps are reversed. Similarly, two such tanks are connected through air pumps to an aircraft propeller shaft. Alternately, on tank is heated to produce hot, high pressure air to drive one air pump while the other air pump is driven by the shaft to compress air in the cooler tank.