Patent ID: 8225900

Claim:
A pneumatic power drive system for a vehicle consisting of: a refillable/replaceable storage tank assembly comprising one or more elongated tanks horizontally arranged containing a high, pressure working fluid of substantially pure nitrogen in the form of compressed gas at about 4,000 PSI not in liquid form and free of water vapor; means for withdrawing high pressure working fluid from side ends of said storage tank assembly; means for reducing the high pressure of said working fluid from said storage tank assembly to a lower operating pressure in the range of about 90 PSI to 150 PSI without the application of heat; a separate, throttle control for delivering under controlled conditions said working fluid at the lower operating pressure without the application of heat to a pneumatic motor to produce a shaft torque output; means for translating said shaft torque output to produce the power drive output of said system; said pneumatic power drive system further comprising an auxiliary compressor for delivering compressed air as a secondary working fluid to said pneumatic motor when said high pressure working fluid is not available from said storage tank assembly; and said pneumatic power drive system further comprising an auxiliary power source for driving said auxiliary compressor.