Nitrous injection is a performance modification that provides a significant boost in power to an internal combustion engine by injecting nitrous oxide into the engine's air intake.
Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a chemical compound that consists of two nitrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. It is commonly known as "laughing gas" due to its euphoric effects when inhaled, but in an engine it acts as an oxidizer, providing additional oxygen to support the combustion of fuel.
The nitrous injection system consists of several key components, including a nitrous bottle, a solenoid valve, a nitrous pressure regulator, a fuel pressure regulator, and a nozzle that sprays the nitrous oxide into the engine's air intake.
When the nitrous system is activated, the solenoid valve opens and allows nitrous oxide to flow from the bottle into the engine. The nitrous pressure regulator ensures that the nitrous is delivered at the correct pressure, while the fuel pressure regulator ensures that the correct amount of fuel is also delivered to the engine.
As the nitrous oxide and fuel enter the engine's cylinders, they mix and ignite, providing a large and sudden boost in power. This allows the engine to produce significantly more power than it would otherwise be able to, making nitrous injection a popular choice for racing and high-performance applications.
It is important to note that nitrous injection can be highly dangerous if not used correctly, as it increases the engine's power output significantly and can put a great deal of stress on the engine components. Additionally, nitrous oxide is a powerful greenhouse gas, so its use should be carefully considered from an environmental perspective.