Basic Nitrous Oxide N20 Information
09-22-2005, 06:41 PM
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Basic Nitrous Oxide N20 Information Thought you guys might find this interesting and useful information about Nitrous that is not normally discussed.
Nitrous oxide, also known as dinitrogen oxide or dinitrogen monoxide, is a chemical compound with chemical formula N2O. Under room conditions it is a colourless non-flammable gas, with a pleasant, slightly sweet odor. It is commonly known as laughing gas due to the exhilarating effects of inhaling it, and because it can cause spontaneous laughter in some users. It is used in surgery and dentistry for its anaesthetic and analgesic effects. Nitrous oxide is present in the atmosphere where it acts as a powerful greenhouse gas.
Chemistry
The structure of the nitrous oxide molecule is a linear chain of a nitrogen atom bound to a second nitrogen, which in turn is bound to an oxygen atom. It can be considered a resonance hybrid of
\mbox{N} \equiv \mbox{N}^+ - \mbox{O}^- and \mbox{N}^-= \mbox{N}^+= \mbox{O}\;
Nitrous oxide N2O should not be confused with the other nitrogen oxides such as nitric oxide NO and nitrogen dioxide NO2.
Nitrous oxide can be used to produce nitrites by mixing it with boiling alkali metals, and to oxidize organic compounds at high temperatures.
The CAS number of nitrous oxide is 10024-97-2 and its UN number is 1070.
History
The gas was discovered by Joseph Priestley in 1772. Humphry Davy in the 1790s tested the gas on himself and some of his friends, including the poets Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Robert Southey. They soon realised that nitrous oxide considerably dulled the sensation of pain, even if the inhaler were still semi-conscious, and so it came into use as an anaesthetic, particularly by dentists, who do not typically have access to the services of an anesthesiologist and who may benefit from a patient who can respond to verbal commands.
Uses
Medicine
Nitrous oxide is a weak general anesthetic, needing high concentrations to induce and maintain unconsciousness. However, it is has a very low short-term toxicity and is an excellent analgesic, so a 50/50 mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen ("gas and air", supplied under the trade name Entonox) is commonly used during childbirth, for dental procedures, and in emergency medicine. In general anesthesia it is used in an 80/20 mixture with oxygen in combination with more powerful agents such as sevoflurane.
Aerosol propellant
The gas is licensed for use as a food additive, specifically as an aerosol spray propellant. Its most common uses in this context are in aerosol whipped cream canisters and as an inert gas used to displace staleness-inducing oxygen when filling packages of potato chips and other similar snack foods.
The gas is excellently soluble in fatty compounds. In aerosol whipped cream, it is dissolved in the fatty cream until it leaves the can, when it becomes gaseous and thus creates foam.
Rocket motors
Nitrous oxide can be used as an oxidiser in a rocket engine. This has the advantages over other oxidisers that it is non-toxic and, due to its stability at room temperature, easy to store and relatively safe to carry on a flight.
Nitrous oxide has notably been the oxidiser of choice in several hybrid rocket designs (using solid fuel with a liquid or gaseous oxidiser). The combination of nitrous oxide with hydroxy-terminated polybutadiene fuel has been used by SpaceShipOne and others. It is also notably used in amatuer and high power rocketry with various plastics as the fuel.
Internal Combustion Engine
In car racing, nitrous oxide (often just "nitrous" or "nitro" in this context) is sometimes injected into the intake manifold (or just prior to the intake manifold) to increase power: even though the gas itself is not flammable, it delivers more oxygen than atmospheric air by breaking down at elevated temperatures, thus allowing the engine to burn more fuel and air. Additionally, since nitrous oxide is stored as a liquid, the evaporation of liquid nitrous oxide in the intake manifold causes a large drop in intake charge temperature. This results in a smaller, denser charge, and can reduce detonation, as well as increase power available to the engine.
The same technique was used during by World War II Luftwaffe aircraft to boost the power output of aircraft engines. Originally meant to provide the Luftwaffe standard aircraft with superior high-altitude performance, technological considerations limited its use to extremely high altitudes. Accordingly, it was only used by specialized planes like high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft, high-speed bombers and high-altitude interceptors.
One of the major problems of using nitrous oxide in a reciprocating engine is that it can produce enough power to destroy the engine. Power increases of 100-300% are possible, and unless the mechanical structure of the engine is reinforced, most engines would not survive this kind of operation.
It is very important with nitrous oxide augmentation of internal combustion engines to maintain temperatures and fuel levels so as to prevent preignition, or detonation (sometimes referred to as knocking, pinging or pinking).
Legality
Possession of nitrous oxide is illegal in most localities in the United States for the purposes of inhaling (or otherwise ingesting) if not under the care of a physician or dentist.
Nitrous oxide injection systems for automobiles is generally legal, although using your nitrous system will likely result in speeds that are in violation of other traffic laws. Some localities also require certified system components. There are many reported instances of police officers arresting drivers of vehicles equipped with nitrous oxide injection systems on the grounds that they [the driver] intend to inhale it. This is unlikely, as auto-grade nitrous oxide is mixed with hydrogen sulfide and would cause significant deleterious effects if inhaled — such arrests are made out of ignorance of the specifics of 'inhalable' nitrous oxide, or as a ploy to rid the public streets of potential illegal street racing via the misapplication of existing laws.
Nitrous oxide, also known as dinitrogen oxide or dinitrogen monoxide, is a chemical compound with chemical formula N2O. Under room conditions it is a colourless non-flammable gas, with a pleasant, slightly sweet odor. It is commonly known as laughing gas due to the exhilarating effects of inhaling it, and because it can cause spontaneous laughter in some users. It is used in surgery and dentistry for its anaesthetic and analgesic effects. Nitrous oxide is present in the atmosphere where it acts as a powerful greenhouse gas.
Chemistry
The structure of the nitrous oxide molecule is a linear chain of a nitrogen atom bound to a second nitrogen, which in turn is bound to an oxygen atom. It can be considered a resonance hybrid of
\mbox{N} \equiv \mbox{N}^+ - \mbox{O}^- and \mbox{N}^-= \mbox{N}^+= \mbox{O}\;
Nitrous oxide N2O should not be confused with the other nitrogen oxides such as nitric oxide NO and nitrogen dioxide NO2.
Nitrous oxide can be used to produce nitrites by mixing it with boiling alkali metals, and to oxidize organic compounds at high temperatures.
The CAS number of nitrous oxide is 10024-97-2 and its UN number is 1070.
History
The gas was discovered by Joseph Priestley in 1772. Humphry Davy in the 1790s tested the gas on himself and some of his friends, including the poets Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Robert Southey. They soon realised that nitrous oxide considerably dulled the sensation of pain, even if the inhaler were still semi-conscious, and so it came into use as an anaesthetic, particularly by dentists, who do not typically have access to the services of an anesthesiologist and who may benefit from a patient who can respond to verbal commands.
Uses
Medicine
Nitrous oxide is a weak general anesthetic, needing high concentrations to induce and maintain unconsciousness. However, it is has a very low short-term toxicity and is an excellent analgesic, so a 50/50 mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen ("gas and air", supplied under the trade name Entonox) is commonly used during childbirth, for dental procedures, and in emergency medicine. In general anesthesia it is used in an 80/20 mixture with oxygen in combination with more powerful agents such as sevoflurane.
Aerosol propellant
The gas is licensed for use as a food additive, specifically as an aerosol spray propellant. Its most common uses in this context are in aerosol whipped cream canisters and as an inert gas used to displace staleness-inducing oxygen when filling packages of potato chips and other similar snack foods.
The gas is excellently soluble in fatty compounds. In aerosol whipped cream, it is dissolved in the fatty cream until it leaves the can, when it becomes gaseous and thus creates foam.
Rocket motors
Nitrous oxide can be used as an oxidiser in a rocket engine. This has the advantages over other oxidisers that it is non-toxic and, due to its stability at room temperature, easy to store and relatively safe to carry on a flight.
Nitrous oxide has notably been the oxidiser of choice in several hybrid rocket designs (using solid fuel with a liquid or gaseous oxidiser). The combination of nitrous oxide with hydroxy-terminated polybutadiene fuel has been used by SpaceShipOne and others. It is also notably used in amatuer and high power rocketry with various plastics as the fuel.
Internal Combustion Engine
In car racing, nitrous oxide (often just "nitrous" or "nitro" in this context) is sometimes injected into the intake manifold (or just prior to the intake manifold) to increase power: even though the gas itself is not flammable, it delivers more oxygen than atmospheric air by breaking down at elevated temperatures, thus allowing the engine to burn more fuel and air. Additionally, since nitrous oxide is stored as a liquid, the evaporation of liquid nitrous oxide in the intake manifold causes a large drop in intake charge temperature. This results in a smaller, denser charge, and can reduce detonation, as well as increase power available to the engine.
The same technique was used during by World War II Luftwaffe aircraft to boost the power output of aircraft engines. Originally meant to provide the Luftwaffe standard aircraft with superior high-altitude performance, technological considerations limited its use to extremely high altitudes. Accordingly, it was only used by specialized planes like high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft, high-speed bombers and high-altitude interceptors.
One of the major problems of using nitrous oxide in a reciprocating engine is that it can produce enough power to destroy the engine. Power increases of 100-300% are possible, and unless the mechanical structure of the engine is reinforced, most engines would not survive this kind of operation.
It is very important with nitrous oxide augmentation of internal combustion engines to maintain temperatures and fuel levels so as to prevent preignition, or detonation (sometimes referred to as knocking, pinging or pinking).
Legality
Possession of nitrous oxide is illegal in most localities in the United States for the purposes of inhaling (or otherwise ingesting) if not under the care of a physician or dentist.
Nitrous oxide injection systems for automobiles is generally legal, although using your nitrous system will likely result in speeds that are in violation of other traffic laws. Some localities also require certified system components. There are many reported instances of police officers arresting drivers of vehicles equipped with nitrous oxide injection systems on the grounds that they [the driver] intend to inhale it. This is unlikely, as auto-grade nitrous oxide is mixed with hydrogen sulfide and would cause significant deleterious effects if inhaled — such arrests are made out of ignorance of the specifics of 'inhalable' nitrous oxide, or as a ploy to rid the public streets of potential illegal street racing via the misapplication of existing laws.
