Repurposing IC Engine Components for Emergency Air Compression and Tire Inflation

This paper explores the engineering conversion of a standard internal combustion (IC) engine into a functional air compressor for emergency tire inflation. In a typical engine, fuel and air are ignited to produce power; however, in this conversion, the reciprocating motion of the piston is harnessed to pull in, compress, and discharge atmospheric air into a storage tank. By utilizing the vehicle’s own cylinder, the system provides a portable, self-sustaining solution for roadside air filling without requiring external electrical power. The study details the mechanical modifications, design of pressure vessels, and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) used to validate the structural integrity of the system.