compressed air to run 2000w petrol generator

[Mike90250]

And air power starters for large and giant diesel engines.
An air engine is basically a steam engine running on compressed air instead of steam. A 4-cycle ICE could be converted by changing the camshaft to make it into an air motor.

[Sunking]

I can think of one more air engine that will be around as long as there are kids and balloons.

[J.P.M.]

JPM compressed air machines are stil in use today and will be tomorrow. How many mechanics are going to give up Air Powered Tools, Artist give up Air Brushes, Euro Adults and US Kids giving up Air Riffles, Navy giving up on catapults (OK that is steam) or Aerospace giving up jet engine starters. You know what I am saying; air powered machines have their place and will be around forever. Good lesson in Potential Energy efficiency.

Understood and agreed. Air power has some advantages that will not be easily replaced. Never meant to imply otherwise. I designed quite a few inter/aftercooler systems for Ingersoll-Rand and others back in the day. It's just that things are changing and compressor companies are planning ahead, and also that compressed air systems, while convenient for intermittent/short term tasks, are not an efficient means of a lot of energy transfer or as a long term or continuous mode means of supplying power, such as continuous power generation from steam turbines for example.

BTW, but off topic, a late good friend, mentor, univ. engineering dean and retired naval officer spent a lot of time and summers with the Navy in the late '40's and 50's helping to develop and get steam catapults up to speed as a reserve officer after yachting around the pacific with the USN in WWII. I learned a lot of good steam/power engineering from him long after graduation and also lots of good stories about things like launching concrete caissons of about 80,000 lbm or so with some interesting perspectives on proof testing I used later on.

[Sunking]

BTW, but off topic, a late good friend, mentor, univ. engineering dean and retired naval officer spent a lot of time and summers with the Navy in the late '40's and 50's helping to develop and get steam catapults up to speed as a reserve officer after yachting around the pacific with the USN in WWII. I learned a lot of good steam/power engineering from him long after graduation and also lots of good stories about things like launching concrete caissons of about 80,000 lbm or so with some interesting perspectives on proof testing I used later on.

Funny you brought that up. Earlier I was recalling some USN archive footage I seen when I was in the USN The footage was testing of catapults. Now mind you it was not At Sea testing on a ship, but at a USN Airbase (land). The film was more for humor break from sub training. It had out takes in which the public would never see. Designers and engineers are boys at hearts and could resist launching a VW Beattle's, Trucks, and all kinds of weird stuff which had no greater value other than amusment of the engineers. One that sticks in my mind is VW bug. First attempt failed, ripped the front end off , Reinforced what was left of rear half and launched it. It had to clear a 1/4 mile before crashing onto the ground exploding into a shower of parts, bits and everywhere.

[J.P.M.]

Funny you brought that up. Earlier I was recalling some USN archive footage I seen when I was in the USN The footage was testing of catapults. Now mind you it was not At Sea testing on a ship, but at a USN Airbase (land). The film was more for humor break from sub training. It had out takes in which the public would never see. Designers and engineers are boys at hearts and could resist launching a VW Beattle's, Trucks, and all kinds of weird stuff which had no greater value other than amusment of the engineers. One that sticks in my mind is VW bug. First attempt failed, ripped the front end off , Reinforced what was left of rear half and launched it. It had to clear a 1/4 mile before crashing onto the ground exploding into a shower of parts, bits and everywhere.

Understood. Boys will be boys. An idle mind is the devil's workshop. Similar but also other interesting technical items and insights about steam power were recounted to me. Any mention of mannequins occasionally appearing, wearing O6/higher rank and piloting/strapped to caissons and smoking cigars, etc. ? Stories I heard were from the era way before crash test dummies.