Nitrous & Water/Methonal Injection Arcticle

[1CrazySledder]

Interesting read. I found this while researching:




Optimize Your Nitrous System With A Water Methanol Injection System

Recently here at AIS, two of the most asked questions by inquiring customers has been "Can I use water methanol injection with my nitrous oxide? And if so, what sort of benefits will it offer me?" Because of these inquiries, we decided to dedicate an article specifically for it to help answer and explain some of these common questions we receive concerning the use of water methanol injection with nitrous.

Can I Use Water Methanol Injection With My Nitrous Oxide?

Absolutely. Nitrous oxide injection and water methanol injection are very compatible and safe to use together. In fact, water methanol injection is quickly becoming the most effective, economical and efficient method of optimizing the performance of both wet and dry nitrous oxide systems. Furthermore, not only can water methanol injection enhance the power producing effects of your nitrous system, it can also significantly increase engine safety and reliability at the same.

...A well needed benefit for nitrous users as we all know all to well of the harsh conditions nitrous can put engines through.

So, what sort of benefits can a water methanol injection system offer? Before we getting in to this. To better help everyone understand, let's quickly go over the basic principles and explain how nitrous oxide injection works.

How Nitrous Oxide Injection Works

Nitrous oxide is made up of 2 parts nitrogen and one part oxygen (36% oxygen by weight). During the combustion process in an engine, at about 572 degrees F, nitrous oxide splits releasing the oxygen and nitrogen. The released oxygen helps create additional power by allowing more fuel to be burned. While the released nitrogen acts to buffer and dampen the rapidly increasing cylinder pressure. Yet still, the use of nitrous oxide results in an accelerated combustion rate therefore requiring the need for reduced ignition timing. General rule of thumb is to reduce ignition timing 1 to 1-1/2 degrees per every 50 horsepower gain.

Nitrous also has a tremendous "inter cooling" effect, reducing intake charge temperatures by 60 to 75 degrees F on naturally aspirated applications. Lowering the air charge temperature coming into the intake allows for a denser air charge, therefore creating more horsepower. A general rule of thumb is for every 10 Degrees F. reduction in intake charge temperature, a 1% increase in power will be realized. For example: A 450 HP engine with an intake temperature drop of 70 Degrees F, would gain approximately 31.5 horsepower from the cooling affect alone.

Now that we have an accurate and basic understanding on how nitrous oxide works. Let begin talking about how water methanol injection can benefit a nitrous oxide system and the engine.

How Will Adding A Water Methanol Injection System To My Nitrous Oxide Injection Benefit Me?

It's no secret nitrous oxide offers big seat of the pants power with it's massive low rpm torque increases. However, do to it's instant "explosive" type power gains, one of the biggest problems associated with nitrous oxide is it's accelerated combustion rates. This leads to rapid cylinder pressure rise, resulting in substantial increased risk and occurrence of detonation. Additionally, rapid rises in cylinder pressure dramatically increase loads placed upon the internal engine components limiting their ability to make more horsepower reliably.

For more information about detonation and it's causes read our article Knock, Knock...Who's There? Detonation!

Follow along as we go over various benefits offered by combining a water methanol injection system with nitrous oxide injection.

Acts As An Effective Octane Enhancer - Octane is a very big and obvious factor in controlling and allowing how much nitrous, compression and timing can be safely mixed together at one time with out detonation occurring. This is particularly important when the use of higher octane fuels are not available or practical and regular premium pump gas must be used.

Together, water methanol injection serves to act as a substantial octane enhancer allowing 91-93 octane to perform like 110+ octane fuel. Methanol being a high octane fuel and burning as part of the combustion process. While water is not a burnable fuel, it is an extremely effective anti-detonant, effectively slowing down the burn rate of the fuel. Spray to much water and it will simply quench spark all together.

For more information about the octane enhancements be sure to read our article 116+ Octane With Water Methanol Injection

Slows Down & Stabilizes The Combustion Process - It's a known fact nitrous accelerates the combustion process as evident through the ignition timing retard required when using nitrous oxide. Performing much like a high octane fuel, water methanol injection is an extremely effective octane enhancer. Thereby, slowing down the burn rate of the fuel and stabilizing the combustion process. Additionally, water also reduces combustion chamber temperatures. Thereby further stabilizing the combustion process by minimizing "hot spots" which can lead to detonation.

Slower Rise In Cylinder Pressure - By slowing down and stabilizing the combustion process. Water methanol injection is also able to help slow the rapidly rising cylinder pressure normally associated with nitrous oxide. This significantly helps reduce the risk and occurrence of detonation. Furthermore, slower rise in cylinder pressure reduces violent engine loads and improves the engines ability to make more horsepower reliably.

Reduces Combustion Chamber Temperatures - Knowing what we know about nitrous oxide, with the rapid release of oxygen and ability to burn more fuel, cylinder pressure increases dramatically, while also creating much more heat within the combustion chamber. With more heat in the cylinder and combustion chamber, the need arises to get rid of it before it starts to cause detonation of the fuel and/or before it heat soaks into all of the major components, like the heads, the block and the pistons.

An engine gets rid of its heat by transferring heat through the heads, block and pistons into the water jackets and, ultimately, into the radiator. Additionally, much of the heat is dispersed through the exhaust. Consequently, it makes logical sense by introducing something into the engine that will become part of the combustion process and can reduce heat. That "something" is water injected into an engine by an efficient water-injection unit.

Helps Cool & Protect The Tops Of The Pistons And Upper Ring - When it comes to pistons, heat is one the biggest threats. Piston manufactures are constantly working on improving piston coatings to prevent and help minimize the amount of heat transferred from the combustion chamber to the piston. Additionally, OEM manufactures of turbocharged engines are using oil squirters under the pistons of engines as another method to also reduce piston temperatures.

The use of a water methanol injection can also dramatically reduce combustion chamber temperatures as both water and methanol have a high latent heat of vaporization.

Definition of latent heat of vaporization: "latent heat" is the amount of energy in the form of heat released or absorbed by a substance during a phase.

A phase change in our case would be when water methanol changes from a liquid to a gas (steam) when it meets the heat with in the cylinder. As a result, were able to further reduce heat within the combustion chamber, in turn reduce the amount of heat transfer to the tops of the piston. Thereby cooling and protecting the top of the piston and upper ring.

Helps Eliminate And Minimize Detonation - While the released nitrogen acts to buffer and dampen the rapidly increasing cylinder pressure. Unfortunately, nitrous oxide users are still plagued with the constant threat of detonation. As a result of increased added octane, ability to slow down and stabilize the combustion process, slower rise in cylinder pressure and reduced combustion chamber temperatures, water methanol injection helps eliminate and minimize the occurrence of detonation.

Allows Users To Safely Run More Nitrous - As a result of increased added octane, slower rise in cylinder pressure, reduced combustion chamber temperatures. When water methanol injection is combined with nitrous oxide, more nitrous can safely be used, in turn more fuel can be burned, and more power is created more safely and reliably.

Allows The Use Of Little Or No Timing Retard - As a result of water methanol injection effectiveness as an octane enhancer and it's ability to slow down and stabilize the combustion process. By adding a water methanol injection system, nitrous users are able to run little or no ignition timing retard even with large 250 shots.

Improves Engine Safety And Reliability - There is NO better product which can more effectively and economically increase octane, slow down and stabilize the combustion process, reduce cylinder pressure, reduce combustion chamber temperature and minimize and help eliminate detonation of your nitrous engine as a water methanol injection system.

Protect your motor and the investment you have in your motor while increasing horsepower all at the same time with a water methanol injection system.

 

[looking4speed]

Instead of adding a water meth kit wouldn't it be as effective to use alcohol in place of gas as the added fuel in a wet nitrous kit?

 

[1CrazySledder]

Speed,
Not sure on that one. I read this article and thought it had some great info as far as adding nitrous in a boosted application and with an Injection system, should be safe. This is one of the MODS I am up to for the off season. I haven't really had much time to research more on the topic, but thought this had some merit.

 

[rxrider]

Thanks 1CS for posting, very interesting read
I don't run N2O but it applies to a boosted application as well.

Meth injection is on my list of mods for next season.

 

[rehm70]

Instead of adding a water meth kit wouldn't it be as effective to use alcohol in place of gas as the added fuel in a wet nitrous kit?

If using alcohol in place of gasoline, the volume of the "fuel to be added", must be increased substantially.
Alcohol doesn't have the btu, or energy content that gas does.