NSTDA says reports of mechanic using water to run his car are wrong
The National Science and Technology Development Agency on Sunday warned motorists not to be carried away by inaccurate reports on social networks and several websites that a Thai mechanic had driven his car by filling the petrol tank with water.
The NSTDA said the reports inaccurately stated that the mechanic in Rayong province had successfully invented a technique to allow internal combustion engines (ICEs) to be powered by water and petrol.
The NSTDA said the mechanic had simply used the water injection technique, which was not new technology at all, to cool down his car’s ICE and thus improved its efficiency.
The NSTDA warned that the water injection technique needed to be controlled and fine-tuned well, or else the ICE could be damaged.
The technique has been used by car racers for a long time to add to the speed of their cars, the NSTDA added.
The water needs to be in a separate container from the oil tank and the water needs to be in fine mists into the intake air or directly into the engine cylinders.
Water has a high heat of vaporisation, meaning it absorbs a lot of heat when it turns from liquid to vapour. In the engine, this cooling effect lowers the intake air temperature, which allows for a denser air charge. Denser air means more oxygen, which can lead to more complete combustion and potentially higher efficiency.
The NSTDA said the mist could help reduce the temperature during the combustion, and result in complete combustion.
But if the mist is not fine enough, the engine could be knocked out or damaged and the remaining water in the engine could cause rust.
The NSTDA added that modern ICEs have already been fine-tuned with new technologies to enhance their efficiency so motorists should not risk damaging their car engines with the water injection technique.
