My opinion of the current Drag racing nitrous safety regulations (which have been in existence and remained unchanged despite advances in technology, for over 30 years, is that they are
'out dated and unsafe'.
I hope to change the regulations for the well being of all nitrous racers, so what I've done is taken a 'superior' concept and designed a new component, that when used to replace (or supplement) the existing 'blow off disc' will make not only the bottle safer but also the 'use' of the Nitrous system itself
MUCH SAFER!!!!
Here are the problems with "blow off discs" that are required on all Nitrous bottles by existing regulations;
1) They are an unnecessary weak link in the system.
2) They are inconsistent and fail over a wide range of pressures.
3) When one fails, it results in a COMPLETE loss of the bottle contents
(this could cost you as much as £80 of gas, plus the disc at £6, plus the travelling costs, plus the inconvenience).4) Failure renders the bottle useless until a replacement disc is obtained and fitted
(this could mean you are unable to continue in a race meeting or have to wait many days before you can use the system again).5) Disc failure results in a rapid and total release of the bottle contents in
LIQUID form which can result in freeze burning the user.
6) If the bottle is not secured to the brackets in the car, the sudden release of the pressure and force from the bottle can turn the bottle into an unguided missile.
7) The sudden release of pressure makes a
very loud noise and will come as a shock to the driver of the vehicle, which can result in the loss of control of the vehicle.
8) MOST IMPORTANTLY, with a blow off disc the bottle pressure can exceed the intended safe working pressure that the system is jetted for. This means that too much Nitrous could be fed to the engine without an adequate amount of extra fuel, resulting in engine failure.Here are some SPRVs
http://www.noswizard.com/admin1/image/6477SPRV.jpghttp://www.noswizard.com/product_desc.php?id=116http://www.noswizard.com/product_desc.php?id=44VIDEO CLIPS DEMONSTRATING THE PERFORMANCE OF A RUPTURE DISC COMPARED TO THE SPRV TO FOLLOW ASAP - SEE LATER POSTS.Replacing or supplementing the 'blow off disc' with a 'Safe Pressure Relief Valve' (SPRV) has the following advantages;
1) The weak link is made adjustable to suit your requirements.
2) The SPRV is 100% consistent, reliable and produces repeatable results.
3) When the bottle pressure exceeds the safe pressure
ONLY enough
GAS to reduce the bottle pressure to the safe level is discharged (lost). This also has the advantage of reducing the bottle temperature, which will also reduce the bottle pressure, thus minimising the loss of gas and the risk of a repeat.
4) The loss of gas with a SPRV will cost you
just a few pence not up to £80 as with the blow off disc.
5) When the bottle pressure exceeds the safe pressure, the system can still be used even if there is gas 'leaking down'. It will not result in a lost race or a weekends racing as with the blow off disc.
6) When the bottle pressure exceeds the safe pressure it results in a slow low pressure controlled release of
ONLY the excess pressure.
7) When the bottle pressure exceeds the safe pressure there is
NO sudden release of pressure and force so the bottle remains in it's normal safe and stable state.
8) There is
no loud noise as the SPRV releases excess pressure, so there is no chance of a sudden loud noise distracting your driving and causing an accident.
9) With a SPRV the bottle pressure can be set so to prevent the gas pressure exceeding the intended safe working pressure, that the system is jetted for. This means that its impossible for too much Nitrous to be fed to the engine without an adequate amount of extra fuel, which will prevent an engine failure that would occur in the same situation if a rupture disc was in use instead of an SPRV.
10) Not only does the SPRV make the bottle much safer under normal system conditions but it also means that bottle heaters will now be a MUCH safer option, because it will be impossible for the heater to raise the pressure to the level that could burst the bottle, so we have introduced a heater as an optional extra to our systems now.
11) Furthermore for race applications it will now be possible to maintain a more constant bottle pressure for the full 1/4 mile with or without the aid of Nitrogen boosting.
12) A final advantage is that the user has control over what pressure their system works at.
ALL our systems have the SPRV as STANDARD fitment and they are available as an upgrade for other valves at £26
ANOTHER WORLD FIRST FROM HIGHPOWER SYSTEMS