How Nitrous Oxide Systems Work?

Before we go into detail, simply, during the combustion process in an engine, at about 300 degrees celsius nitrous oxide breaks down into nitrogen and oxygen. This extra oxygen creates additional power by allowing more fuel to be burned. The power always comes from the fuel source. If you add only nitrous oxide and do not add additional fuel, that will not give extra power, you would just speed up the rate at which your engine is burning the fuel. This leads to destructive detonation. Again, the energy comes from the fuel, not from the nitrous. If the fuel isn't there, the power won't be either. Nitrous oxide simply allows you to burn a greater quantity of fuel in the same time period.




If we go into some detail...

The nitrous oxide is normally a gas, as we told. For use in our cars, it is compressed at a high pressure (850-1100psi) in a nitrous bottle, in liquid form. From the bottle (typically in your trunk), a high-pressure hose (see image on the right) runs up to the engine bay.


From there, an electrically controlled valve called a solenoid is used to release the nitrous into the engine when you request it. In wet systems, a fuel line (apart then nitrous line) is controlled by another solenoid, and releases fuel into the engine at the same time.










Types of Nitrous Systems: Dry vs Wet

There are basically two types of nitrous systems: Dry and Wet. While it`s a wet system in fact, we will also list `Direct Port System` as a third type.


Dry System

A dry nitrous system simply means only nitrous oxide is injected into the intake via a single line of nitrous - no fuel other than nitrous is injected into the air intake, a nitrous-only nozzle is used. With a dry nitrous system, the additional fuel needed is supplied by increasing fuel delivery throught the OEM fuel injectors when the nitrous system is activated (see image on the right).


That's done in 2 ways: Whether by pressurising the fuel rail by the nitrous system to add more fuel, or by increasing the time the fuel injector stays on.


Photo on the left is a nozzle used in dry nitrous systems. You see there`s only one inlet of the nozzle, and that`s for the nitrous.

Dry kits are very easy to install and are a great "first time" nitrous system.



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