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Doubtful... Posted by Larry West [Email] (#1140) [Profile/Gallery] (more from Larry West) on Wed, 26 Mar 2008 09:26:39 In Reply to: Re: Pressurized gas canisters?, JimBlake [Profile/Gallery] , Mon, 24 Mar 2008 19:21:39 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
Compressed gas couldn't act fast enough, I don't think, not without large valves, lines, and a reservoir tank or tanks. Several issues I'd see:
1) the tank. Where would it go? Do you have more than one? What if the tank is damaged before the valves opens?
2) lines. If the line ruptures, what happens? If the line is cut mid-inflation, the bag stops inflating.
3) valves. To flow a lot of air, they need to be big. To support the pressure, it needs to be heavy...
Compare that with a pyrotechnic airbag.
The "gas" is neatly contained in a chemical mixture that is fired by an electrical signal. Since the chemical is inert until activated, it doesn't need to be contained in quite the same fashion. It is also extremely small relative to the volume of gas it will produce. So, it gets a large channel to the bag without a heavy, slow metal valve. Also, once the bag is initiated, nothing on this Earth is stopping it. You can obliterate the sensors and control box and cut the wires, but if the signal got through, that bag is inflating. It's like starting the SRBs on the Space Shuttle. Once they're lit, you're going for a ride...
Compressed gas is wonderful on PFDs (Personal Flotation Devices), life rafts, etc. where you don't need it to be completely inflated in just a few milliseconds. But in a car, I don't think there's anything that'll beat the pyro charges...
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