Jakarta, CNN Indonesia —
Filling tires with nitrogen often considered better than ordinary air, but is it really like that? Nitrogen offers advantages, but from a manufacturer’s point of view it is no different from air.
The air that is normally filled into vehicle tires already contains nitrogen, generally around 78 percent. Then the other content is 21 percent oxygen, while the rest is a mixture of water vapor, CO2, and other gases.
Popular Mechanics explained, pure nitrogen can help maintain pressure in the tire better than ordinary air. This helps the car work as efficiently as possible because the air pressure is maintained as recommended by the manufacturer.
Maintained tire air pressure can also prevent uneven baldness, wear out quickly, and waste fuel.
All tires that have been inflated for a long time will lose pressure as the gas slowly seeps through the rubber and out. Nitrogen is said to do this 40 percent slower than ordinary air, Chemical & Engineering News says.
This keeps the pressure on the nitrogen tires stable and lasts longer. Another effect is explained that oxygen reacts to the tire rubber as it penetrates, this leads to a thermo-oxidative process that degrades the quality of the rubber over time.
Water, which usually enters the tire from steam, is a bad thing because it can change the pressure by a large amount. Another effect of its existence is to accelerate the corrosion of iron or aluminum rims.
Filling tires with nitrogen repeatedly can remove oxygen, water, and other gases from the tires so the potential for damage can be reduced.
Although it has many advantages, it does not mean that nitrogen tires do not need maintenance, such as checking the pressure regularly. When the pressure is reduced, it is said that there is no problem plus ordinary air.
Keith Willcome of the consumer tire engineering division for Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations explained that nitrogen is not a substitute for tire maintenance. He said Bridgestone did not choose air or nitrogen because both are accepted as tire filling gases.
“Both air and nitrogen react equally to the Ideal Gas Law, which explains that temperature and pressure are directly related. For tires, this means every 10 degree change in temperature will result in about 1 psi change in tire pressure. This change is the same for nitrogen filled tires and tires, ” he explained.
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