To combat this, an intercooler is placed between the turbocharger and the inlet to the engine so that the air can be sufficiently cooled in time for it to enter the cylinders and interact with the incoming fuel. Without an intercooler performing this job, the warm air from something like a supercharger would create a breeding ground for pre-ignition. These seemingly simple intercoolers use a colder airflow to cool a warm flow of turbocharged air before it enters the cylinders to be mixed with fuel.
Using channels that travel horizontally across the intercooler, air passes from the turbo outlet through to the intercooler inlet where it is cooled by an outside airflow. This cooling airflow interacts with fins of the heat exchanger to dissipate heat away from the induction airflow to the surroundings.
These intercoolers essentially increase the density of the air entering the cylinders, creating more power as the engine has more air molecules to work with and combust. Air-to-air intercoolers do not need any pumps and therefore do not sap any energy from the engine or other components on the car. An air-to-air intercooler only works efficiently if the airflow to the fins and tubes is cold and constant, otherwise its thermodynamic abilities dramatically reduce.
This means that the placement of the intercooler itself is vital and can cause many headaches in terms of routing the necessary plumbing. To produce some form of safety factor, air-to-air intercoolers are often relatively large in size to maximise the surface area for cooling. These systems are slightly more complicated but follow the same main ideas.
The thermal conductivity of water is much higher than that of air which means heat is transferred much more efficiently. The only placement dilemma comes in the form of the water-cooling heat exchanger that needs cold airflow to function efficiently. Unfortunately, this also means that this type of intercooler needs a water pump, a fluid reservoir and the relevant piping for the water to navigate its way around the system.
Most intercoolers need to be placed in an area where air flow is fast, smooth and cool. This is why front-mounted intercoolers are the most popular method of placement. Either positioned in front of the radiator or within a side grill of the front-end, an intercooler should always receive cold and undisturbed air to maximise the temperature difference between the hot and cold fluids.
If space is at a premium, manufacturers will often create large air scoops in the bonnet Subaru Impreza WRX STI, Mini Cooper S so that the intercooler can be placed anywhere in the engine bay and still have a sufficient air supply.
The reduced temperature allows more oxygen to be dissolved in the charge. Intercooler cools compressed air down as they pass through.
Intercooler cools down compressed air coming from the turbocharger. This is important because hot air reduces horsepower and may detonate early in the combustion process.
Turbochargers work by compressing air from the environment into a higher pressure air ball. This is packed with air but is extremely hot. An intercooler is required to cool down the air before usage. Compressed air can get up to over degrees Celsius when conditions are extreme. For this reason, an intercooler is required for turbocharged engines. Especially for high performance track cars.
Aside from being required, here are the benefits of an intercooler:. If you are still not convinced, let me tell you again. Intercooler is absolutely required for a turbocharged vehicle.
Not only is it required, it also gives you plenty of benefits. A turbo increases horsepower by sucking more air and compress them into high pressure ball of air.
Compressed air is too hot for combustion. Intercooler is required to first cool them down. Running a turbo without an intercooler will cause hot air to enter the combustion chamber and prematurely detonate. This can cause wear and tear damages at the least and major engine damage at worst. Normally, detonation happens when a piston moves up and comes closer to the sparks plug. The detonation will then push the piston down — which allows your car to move.
With a turbocharger, air in the engine is significantly hotter. It may detonate before the piston has moved up completely — this is known as premature detonation. This will definitely cause premature detonation. Aside from engine damages, running a turbo without an intercooler can also cause you to lose horsepower.
This is more significant when running at higher RPM over long distance. The air will be too hot above 5psi and it can lead to internal engine damage. The intercooler is a question about intake air temperature, rather than boost. Including an IC in your setup will minimize the risk of damage to your vehicle.
So, why take the risk? The price of an intercooler varies depending on the make, year and model of car. The best thing to do is to ask a certified mechanic how much your specific car will need in order to find out the exact pricing totals involved. Intercoolers are coupled with supercharged or turbocharged cars and act as a radiator to exchange heat. They are used to cool the air that is compressed by the engine. Make sure to install a well-functioning intercooler on your turbocharger for maximum performance.
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