******* Water Intercooler ********
12-13-02, 06:32 PM
#1
Banned. I got OWNED!!!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Silicon Valley Bay Area
Posts: 102
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
******* Water Intercooler ********
Does anyone have a water cooled Intercooler in their car?
There are diverse opinions about the advantage of air/liquid intercoolers versus air/air intercoolers in drag racing applications. Some say there is no advantage over air/air and they also say if there is an advantage it is offset by the added weight.
The real facts are that other than a small additional weight factor, a proper application of an air/liquid intercooler will increase power much more than enough to offset any additional weight and will always yield superior performance over an air/air unit. And, sometimes the additional weight is needed for ballast and this disadvantage is erased.
To understand why air/liquid intercoolers are superior for drag racing, consider that the cooling medium in an air/air intercooler is the ambient temperature of the outside air at any given time. If we have an engine running 30PSI boost pressure, depending on compressor efficiency, the discharge temperature will be approximately 400° , with an ambient temperature of 90° F.
Assume that you have an air/air intercooler that can give 90% effectiveness at over 100mph and less at lower vehicle speeds. 90% at the above condition will give a temperature out of the intercooler of approximately 120° F., and higher temperature out at lower speeds due to lower cooling and velocity across the surface of the core. Additionally, you are leaving the line with a hot intercooler caused by heating during burn out.
Now, consider a drag car using an air/liquid intercooler circulating ice water. The pump is turned on before the burn out and when you leave the line the charge temperature will remain more stable throughout the run and charge temperature can actually be much lower than ambient temperature, depending on the size of the intercooler. A properly sized air/liquid intercooler could easily give a charge temperature of 60° (on a 90° day!), which would be 60° lower than the air/air unit. This reduction in charge temperature not only gives a significant increase in power and torque, but also allows the use of more aggressive ignition timing for even greater increases in power.
There are diverse opinions about the advantage of air/liquid intercoolers versus air/air intercoolers in drag racing applications. Some say there is no advantage over air/air and they also say if there is an advantage it is offset by the added weight.
The real facts are that other than a small additional weight factor, a proper application of an air/liquid intercooler will increase power much more than enough to offset any additional weight and will always yield superior performance over an air/air unit. And, sometimes the additional weight is needed for ballast and this disadvantage is erased.
To understand why air/liquid intercoolers are superior for drag racing, consider that the cooling medium in an air/air intercooler is the ambient temperature of the outside air at any given time. If we have an engine running 30PSI boost pressure, depending on compressor efficiency, the discharge temperature will be approximately 400° , with an ambient temperature of 90° F.
Assume that you have an air/air intercooler that can give 90% effectiveness at over 100mph and less at lower vehicle speeds. 90% at the above condition will give a temperature out of the intercooler of approximately 120° F., and higher temperature out at lower speeds due to lower cooling and velocity across the surface of the core. Additionally, you are leaving the line with a hot intercooler caused by heating during burn out.
Now, consider a drag car using an air/liquid intercooler circulating ice water. The pump is turned on before the burn out and when you leave the line the charge temperature will remain more stable throughout the run and charge temperature can actually be much lower than ambient temperature, depending on the size of the intercooler. A properly sized air/liquid intercooler could easily give a charge temperature of 60° (on a 90° day!), which would be 60° lower than the air/air unit. This reduction in charge temperature not only gives a significant increase in power and torque, but also allows the use of more aggressive ignition timing for even greater increases in power.
01-29-06, 02:08 PM
#7
Play in my tree house.
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: VA 2 FL
Posts: 485
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
so... are you going to add ice every day before you drive to chill the water?
If you use a radiator to chill it, it will stay at ambient temps, when you get it cold enough it will cause condensation. So you are going to need to wrap the lines otherwise you can enjoy water getting everywhere.
or you could install a small fridge in your trunk and use the lines to cool the water and therefore you would not have to add any ice.
store some cokes in that bad boy while your at it.
If you use a radiator to chill it, it will stay at ambient temps, when you get it cold enough it will cause condensation. So you are going to need to wrap the lines otherwise you can enjoy water getting everywhere.
or you could install a small fridge in your trunk and use the lines to cool the water and therefore you would not have to add any ice.
store some cokes in that bad boy while your at it.
Trending Topics
01-29-06, 09:43 PM
#9
Banned. I got OWNED!!!
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: rotary world!!!!!!!!
Posts: 868
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
just about every modded fd in uk (mag,ect)are running air to water setups save alot of room in the engine bay which is great for your fans. i'll see if i can digg up some pic's
01-30-06, 11:06 AM
#10
Banned. I got OWNED!!!
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: DC
Posts: 1,035
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Batman,
I believe was permanently banned..
And I only known of one person to use a Water IC.
Which was Ray Wilson of PFS supercars.
I too was intrigued at the track, that after every run, he would drain
his intercooler... I believe his forum name is Forcefed7. But not sure..
Goodluck. hope you find wha tyou are looking for.
I believe was permanently banned..
And I only known of one person to use a Water IC.
Which was Ray Wilson of PFS supercars.
I too was intrigued at the track, that after every run, he would drain
his intercooler... I believe his forum name is Forcefed7. But not sure..
Goodluck. hope you find wha tyou are looking for.
01-30-06, 01:19 PM
#11
Rotary Enthusiast
Ray used a version of this a/l set-up in the FD shown at bottom of page:
http://www.fd3s.net/magazine_article...article_4.html
A great concept, rarely used in US. FMIC's look better.
http://www.fd3s.net/magazine_article...article_4.html
A great concept, rarely used in US. FMIC's look better.
01-30-06, 09:57 PM
#14
airplane apex seals
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: either sunnyvale or san jose
Posts: 552
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by jic
for a second i thot batman was back
lol
lol
man that was an old post for someone to bring up, I think they make them for FD's and I would run one if I could get enough $$$$.
