Why are tires pumped with nitrogen? Nitrogen in tires is a scam. But there are real ways to save! How are tires filled with nitrogen?

The idea came from motorsport: the tires of Formula 1 cars are really filled with nitrogen. Usually, in the event of an accident with a car fire, a burst tire provides oxygen pressurization, similar to how air is pumped into a forge to raise the temperature. But tires inflated with nitrogen, under the same conditions, do not "add fuel to the fire."

But that's in sports. And “in civilian life” we see fires during a car accident much less often. After all, designers have worked hard to reduce the fire hazard in an accident.

Issue price

Arriving at the tire shop and succumbing to the persuasion of refueling tires with nitrogen, you will see that air is first pumped out of your car tires, and then they are filled with nitrogen from a special installation. installed in accordance with the specifications of the vehicle manufacturer. Such a procedure will cost from 180 to 260 rubles per wheel. The larger the diameter, the more expensive.

Advertising move

At a branded expensive tire fitting, almost any car owner, and especially the owner, will probably be offered. There are many arguments in favor of this procedure. Let's figure out which of them are true and which are fiction:

The tire pressure will be stable because the nitrogen hardly expands from heat. But the air is already 78% nitrogen, so the changes are due to the rest of the gases, which also do not expand beyond measure. The difference in the coefficient of volumetric expansion is negligible with a significant figure in the fourth decimal place.
Nitrogen molecules are larger and therefore do not so quickly penetrate the tire walls to the outside, keeping the pressure stable. But do not forget that there is not so much oxygen with other gases - about 22%. And when they begin to evaporate, and we start pumping up the tire, the nitrogen concentration will increase. So, in a 5-6-year-old wheel, an almost purely nitrogen "atmosphere" is formed inside.
A wheel filled with nitrogen is lighter than a wheel filled with atmospheric air. This allows . Simple calculations show that the wheel of a mid-size crossover will feel lighter by only a few grams. And how much do the stones stuck in the tread weigh? Let's better clean the tread more often, especially since tire design engineers highly recommend this.
The absence of oxygen protects the tire material from premature aging. Tire workers support this thesis, but you don’t expect that your tires after a century will be located on a pedestal, like the wheels of a Lenin armored car. Wear and aging of the outer layers of rubber under the influence of the sun, ozone, moisture occurs much faster.
Better grip and greater safety due to stable performance. I disagree: it is still necessary to check the pressure in the tires periodically, and with each “zilch” precious nitrogen will come out. And you don't let yourself down. So servicemen strive to tie a car enthusiast to their workshop even for such an insignificant problem as checking pressure and pumping a wheel.

Real Alternative

It is difficult to save money on "nitrogen" tires, but there are more effective methods. And both free and very expensive:

Timely seasonal tire replacement that meets both the requirements of the law and common sense. Summer tires definitely roll easier!
Before long trips on the highway at 0.2 bar. It will be a little tougher, but noticeably more economical.

Use light rims, and not just any alloy wheels, but preferably forged ones, they often have a significantly lower mass. And in general, not in design, but in weight. But to make sure that lightness is not at the expense of strength, look for certified rims.

Use tires made using Energy saver technology. Many manufacturers have these today. They have a slightly lower rolling resistance due to the use of technologies tailored specifically for resource saving.
Select tires using the results where each applicant is measured, including rolling resistance.
Install alloy (and really light) wheels with a larger diameter and use the tire calculator to select the appropriate tires, while maintaining the outer diameter of the old wheel. Well, or a little more.
You drive a lot on the highway, but with a small load, or the gears in your car's gearbox can be called "short", like, for example, Renault Logan or Lada Largus. That is, at 100 km / h, the engine makes more than 3000 rpm in top gear. Then Tires with a slightly larger diameter can be installed. This will make all gears slightly "longer" and save fuel.

In addition to the usual way of filling tires with air, car owners have recently been offered a service - tire inflation with nitrogen. There are both supporters of innovation and ardent opponents. To form your own opinion, it is worth comparing all the pros and cons, carefully checking the truth of the statements of a promising advertising policy.

Inflating Tires with Nitrogen - Benefits

Let's try to figure out what gives tire inflation with nitrogen, what benefits the owner of the vehicle receives in this case.

Increasing the level of safety due to the difference in the coefficient of thermal expansion of nitrogen and oxygen molecules. Tires do not heat up when driving for a long time.
Stable pressure regardless of ambient temperature.
The slower leakage of nitrogen from a tire compared to oxygen is due to the enlarged diameter of the molecules.
The low chemical activity of the nitrogen filling significantly extends the life of the rubber.
Reduced wheel weight due to the lower molecular weight of nitrogen.
The internal volume of the tire does not accumulate moisture, which is usually concentrated from the air mixture.

How is nitrogen injected into tires

The process of filling tires with nitrogen is carried out using a special device. The nitrogen generator is supplied with ordinary air at a pressure of 8 atmospheres. Before reaching its destination, it goes through several stages of filtration to remove solid particles, oils, water vapor, carbon oxides. At the outlet, the nitrogen concentration reaches 95%. The remaining 5% is mainly oxygen. The preparatory procedure takes quite a long time.

Racing car tires are inflated in several stages.

Air release.
Drying the internal volume naturally for several hours.
Filling with nitrogen mixture from the generator. It is recommended to wait some time for the temperature to equalize.
Final adjustment to the desired pressure.

It is unlikely that the service station provides for compliance with the entire cycle of actions.

Is there an effect of nitrogen in tires

At first glance, it may seem that nitrogen pumping makes sense. But as soon as you dig a little deeper, the question immediately arises: “Why, in fact, overpay for a non-existent benefit?”.

For reference. The price of the service exceeds the cost of filling with air by about 20 times.

According to the reviews of motorists, a comfortable ride can be achieved if the tire pressure is reduced by 0.2 atmospheres, regardless of their contents.

Nitrogen filling pressure stability at different temperatures does exist, but compared to air, the difference is so minimal that it cannot be fixed with a conventional pressure gauge.

The difference in the atomic weights of oxygen and nitrogen is insignificant, so talking about a significant reduction in the load on the suspension is generally ridiculous.

Another myth - fuel economy, is also associated with a lower mass of nitrogen. Nevertheless, for these purposes it is better to look for other ways, and not rely on an ephemeral effect.

If we talk about the regularity of pumping wheels, then the terms practically do not change. For a year, a tire loses up to 0.8 atmospheres. With nitrogen, this figure will be only slightly less. Any tire deflates, and this, alas, is a natural process.

The internal filling has practically no effect on the duration of the tire. External factors pose a great danger.

If we analyze the information sensibly, then the conclusion suggests itself that inflating tires with nitrogen is a purely publicity stunt aimed at increasing the personal income of service station owners. Such a service does not give special advantages to the car.

Sale of summer tires in Krasnodar at wholesale prices.

The answer to all these questions is rather vague: sort of. To begin with, air is 78 percent nitrogen, just under 21 percent oxygen, and the rest is water vapor, CO2, and small concentrations of noble gases such as neon and argon. All other gases we can ignore.

However, there are several compelling reasons why we should inflate our tires with pure nitrogen. Having visited with our own eyes, we were carried away by this topic and found out the features of the use of nitrogen in car tires better.

The first reason is why nitrogen in tires is better than regular air.

Less likely than oxygen is nitrogen to leak through tire rubber, which means tire pressure will stay more stable in the long run. Racers quickly recognized the fact that tires inflated with nitrogen instead of air also show less change in pressure in them with temperature changes. And this, in turn, means a more consistent increase in tire pressure during races as the tires warm up. And when you have to adjust the handling of a racing car for every minimal change in pressure, this property of nitrogen is a very important factor. Passenger cars can also benefit from more stable tire pressures. But that is not all.

The second reason for the victory of nitrogen pumped into tires over air.

Let's move on to the second reason it's better to have nitrogen in your car's tires and talk about moisture inside the tires. Moisture (or water) is not a thing to be welcomed in a car tire. Water, which is contained inside a tire in the form of vapor or even in liquid form, causes a greater change in pressure under conditions of temperature difference than dry air. Moisture also contributes to the corrosion of the steel or aluminum rim of the tire, which is part of the design of the tire, which we described in the material "".

If I want to check if there is water in my car's tires, I simply unscrew the valve of the ride chamber and release some air by placing my thumb on the valve. If your finger gets wet, then there is moisture in the tire. The reason for this was not, the ingress of water in this case is simply impossible. This means that one of the tire stations is not conscientious in their work, they simply do not care that there is no water in the air system with which they inflate car tires. Another cause of moisture in the wheel can be water-based tire lubricants that coat the inside edges of the tire to be installed on the rim. If, after applying such a lubricant, you do not allow the wheel to “sunbathe” in the sun for several hours and only then pump the tire with air, moisture inside the wheel cannot be avoided. The author already somehow had to (not in his car, fortunately he was present), from which several liters of water were subsequently poured out - it probably ended up there from a hose with compressed air, in which water collected, and it was not properly cleaned in a timely manner.

What does water have to do with the discussion of nitrogen? We answer that they have nothing to do with each other, because any system that will pump nitrogen into tires will supply it there in a completely dry form. Tire inflation with nitrogen involves filling and purging several times in a row, successively diluting the oxygen concentration in the tire. This technique prevents moisture from entering the tire.

I must warn you that the process of filling and inflating tires is not so complicated, but it takes a lot of time, and this is not always convenient. Most tire shops use a machine that not only creates nearly pure nitrogen with minimal oxygen addition, but automatically performs multiple purge cycles. The cost of nitrogen injection into one tire can reach up to 100 rubles. It all depends on its size.

So, victory for nitrogen.

So here are the answers to your specific questions: With nitrogen, your tire pressure will stay constant for a longer period of time, saving you a small amount of fuel and tire maintenance costs. With nitrogen, there will be less moisture in the tire, which means less chance of corrosion on the wheels. As for the handling of the car, you will not feel any difference. It turns out that having nitrogen in your car's tires is much better than oxygen. In the future, the dilemma between filling tires with nitrogen or air will be solved, as solutions are already starting to appear on the market. True, only in the prototype, but we cherish the hope to see this concept on production cars soon.

Modern services have increasingly begun to offer the service of inflating tires with nitrogen. This innovation came to Russia from Western countries. Tire inflation with nitrogen was first used in Formula 1 racing.

Air mixed with nitrogen was blown into the tires under high pressure. According to the rules, such an act was prohibited, but still there were craftsmen for whom "the rules are not written."

Atmospheric air mainly consists of nitrogen. There is little oxygen in it. Nitrogen molecules are much larger than oxygen molecules, so tire pressure deflates much more slowly when inflated with nitrogen.

Breaking out along the wall of the tire, oxygen oxidizes the cord and disc. Thus, the rubber loses its strength, and it becomes unsafe to move on it.

If we talk about compressed air, then for some time the pressure is released. This figure is approximately equal to 0.09 atmospheres per month. Oxygen molecules are small, so they leave the tire easily. It is impossible to stop this process, because it will continue until the same pressure is created. There is only one point: you can pump up the tire with pure oxygen. Due to this, the pressure will equalize, and the tire will stop flattening.

The main advantages of inflating tires with nitrogen.

Tire wear is minimal. The disk is practically not exposed to corrosion. This is due to the fact that moisture and dust do not get into the space between the disc and the tire.
Reduced risk of tire explosion. Tires do not heat up when driving for a long time.
Stable tire pressure. You can pump up the tire with nitrogen no earlier than after 2 months.
Road grip is improved. A tire inflated with nitrogen has better springback. In addition, the stopping distance is reduced.
Any rise or hole will be overcome smoothly.
The load on the suspension is reduced. Stabilizers can "pass" more kilometers.
Management improves.
More stable cornering.
Wheels practically do not slip.
Tire noise is reduced.

The most important plus, which is emphasized by service station workers, is the safety of a tire inflated with nitrogen.

How are tires filled with nitrogen?

Tires are inflated with nitrogen using nitrogen generators. They are a special installation that rotates the air mixture. But, before the air enters the tire, it is processed.

The generator is supplied with compressed air at a pressure of about 8 atmospheres. Further, the air is filtered at several levels.

At each level, the air is cleaned of dust, moisture, oil, and other impurities. Further, the filtered air is deprived of nitrogen molecules.

The whole procedure takes a long process. But all this is justified, because in the end you can get pure (95%) nitrogen. The remaining 5 percent is oxygen. It is this ratio of gases that is ideal for inflating car tires.

Pumping process: a nitrogen generator is connected to the tire valve and pressurizes the resulting mixture inside. If you inflate the wheels like this, then they will not let in oxygen or moisture. The disc will not rust, so it will last longer and will not “tear” the tire cord.

There are people who deny the usefulness of this procedure.
If you carefully read the positive aspects, then it is clear that tires are inflated with nitrogen in order to protect themselves and make driving more comfortable. But there is a group of people who argue the opposite, referring to another marketing ploy:

If you inflate the tire to the floor of the atmosphere less than it should be, then you are guaranteed a smooth and soft ride.
If we talk about the suspension, then, yes, the load will decrease, but not significantly. This figure is so small that it should not be taken into account.
If you pump nitrogen into the tires, then the level of safety will not increase. This is explained by the fact that once upon a time nitrogen was pumped into the tires of racing cars under pressure, but it was necessary there due to its non-combustion property. To put it simply, when the car caught fire, the tires exploded and could, at least partially, put out the fire.
Yes, there are more nitrogen molecules than oxygen, but tires will still be flat, because this is a natural process.
And it is very important to point out that inflating tires with nitrogen cannot in any way reduce fuel consumption.

Opinions are very different, so the driver must decide. From myself I want to say that there is no difference in management and in everything else. Verified personally. But that's just someone else's opinion.

Video about inflating tires with nitrogen:

Recently, the service of filling automobile wheels with nitrogen (both cars and trucks) has become increasingly popular. An interesting fact is that until that time only tires of racing cars and aircraft chassis were filled with this substance. Many may think that nitrogen is used in important and responsible cases and, most likely, this service is really useful.

Some of our compatriots and owners of car workshops, having adopted the success of their European colleagues, began to use nitrogen to inflate the wheels of not only trucks, but also cars. In addition, sometimes this substance is even injected into motorcycle tires. Such a service appeared in the vastness of our country and neighboring countries about 10 years ago. According to tire workers, pumping tires with nitrogen can magically improve a vehicle. What is it about nitrogen? Let's try to understand this article.

Arguments of air sellers

Below are the benefits that the client will receive if he pumps nitrogen into the wheels. These are the arguments you will hear when you visit a service that offers nitrogen pumping.

The inner metal parts of the wheels remain insulated from the corrosion that can occur if you use oxygen.
The car will behave more stable and calm when driving.
The performance of the wheels is noticeably improved, even if the load or temperature increases.
It will be much easier for you to drive your car.
As the road surface and tires come into contact, you will feel less vibration and hear less noise.
When cornering and when leaving the roadside, the car behaves more stable.
If there is an extreme start, then the wheel slip will be minimal.
Tire pressure is independent of temperature, load or speed.
Even on the road with large bumps, the car will move more smoothly.
Even and long tire wear.
If you run into a curb, then damage to the disk most likely will not occur.
The braking distance is much less.
The suspension will be less overloaded.
Wheel damping is noticeably improved.
If overheated or damaged, the tire is less likely to catch fire.
The tire life is increased.
You will drive more safely.
Tire inflation is virtually non-existent.
Maneuvering is getting better.
Tire pressure stabilizes.

Nitrogen generator for tire inflation

After such convincing words, I want to get behind the wheel right now and go look for a service that offers such a service. But let's not rush. Let's see if everything is really so beautiful.

Myths and reality of nitrogen pumping

Several arguments can be combined into one common one: driving a car with nitrogen is much more comfortable. But this is not so, it is enough to pump a couple of tenths less atmosphere into the wheels and you will feel softness when driving.

The owners of tire shops claim that nitrogen pumping reduces the load on the car suspension. These words are pure myth. If you look into a school textbook on chemistry, you will find out that the mass of nitrogen molecules is only 7% less than that of air. Do you think these 7% in the wheels will greatly affect the total weight of the car? It's safe to say no! The mass of gas in the wheels is negligible compared to the mass of the car.

Nitrogen in tires improves driving safety. But it is not so. Indeed, the wheels of racing cars are filled with nitrogen. This is done in order to reduce the consequences of a fire in the event of a possible ignition of the car. Nitrogen is a gas that does not burn. In case of an accident, he is able to reduce the power of the fire. "Specialists" claim that tires with nitrogen do not explode. But think for yourself, if the tire has burst, then it doesn’t matter what it was inflated with.

It is enough to pump a couple of tenths less atmospheres into the wheels, and you will feel softness when driving.

"Air sellers" say that car tires filled with nitrogen last longer. They refer to school knowledge, because nitrogen is several times larger than an air molecule. But believe me, any inflated wheel lowers itself. In 365 days, the pressure in the tires with air can drop by 0.8 atmospheres in a natural way. Perhaps they will release less with nitrogen. But if you think sensibly, then the difference will be insignificant and hardly noticeable.

The most important publicity stunt: pumping tires with nitrogen reduces fuel consumption, because the weight of the inert gas is less than oxygen. The mass of molecules has already been discussed above. So this argument is also wrong. To truly save gas, there are many more efficient ways.

Summing up

From the above, we conclude that pumping tires with nitrogen is a purely advertising ploy of the owners of service stations. Many tire shops use nitrogen pumping to lure new customers and raise their ratings.

Be competent drivers, do not pay money for a dubious service that will not bring significant benefits. It makes little sense to succumb to the tricks of unscrupulous businessmen.