Not really just a race car thing anymore , because of the need to make sure everyone’s rolling on properly inflated tires, many high end cars now come with nitrogen filled tires any many tire shops recommend it to everyone.
yah now it’s an upsell thing…
Maybe the pressure increases the oxidation capability of air? Greater chance of a fire/explosion? Don’t know, just guessing. One thing I do know is nitrogen doesn’t burn so it wouldn’t support a fire.
As for the nitrogen filled tire thing, it seems to me that it is just another way to get another $20 out of you. Air is about 80% nitrogen so your tires already have 80% nitrogen in them. If the sales pitch is true, every time you fill the tire with compressed air you’ll be upping the percentage of nitrogen in the tire. Only oxygen leaks out, right? Eventually you will be almost 100% nitrogen (and you’ll still have that 20 bucks in your pocket ;)).
HAHAH… Flawless logic! I like that. Yah just keep filing the tires up and you end up with nitrogen.
An yah I’ve heard the same about increasing pressure also increases the oxidation capabilities of the air.
We use Nitrogen at work in any of our pressure vessels just because it is an inert gas. We are making products with a lot of fume release and if oxygen were in the vessel there is a high probability of explosion and or fire… We had it happen not too long ago.