20psi on pump gas, if you dont know, dont answer...

[Doward]

Gixxer: You could argue that, yes - but the intercooler should really flow well enough to not be a larger restriction, and be efficient enough to remove a lot of the heat from the air in that single pass. Otherwise, you need a better intercooler! Remember, if the air velocity slows down, it could get 'backed up' and that would decrease the overall efficiency of the system.

Figgie: That is exactly right! Just remember that our parameters are slightly different - we can go UP TO ~300mph before that flow difference actually becomes noticeable. A pipe flowing 30lbs/min @ 290mph vs a pipe flowing 30lbs/min @ 100mph - you will still flow 30lbs/min. Now, a pipe attempting to flow 30lbs/min @ 400mph, will NO LONGER be flowing 30lbs/min - the boundary shear will now become a restriction to the flow, so you would expect to see a maximum of around 26lbs/min (guessing at this one) @ 400 mph. The turbulence would disrupt your flow.

 

[starscream5000]

PSIG.

 

[figgie]

I'm dumb on this.... but... Wouldn't slowing down the velocity allow more time for the charge to be cooled in the intercooler?

ahhh

Now we get to the most intresting and highly contested subject.

the very nature of an intercooler

Slowing the charge down IN the intercooler will make the intercooler more efficent (without stagnating the air of course). Now the other way of doing it without slowing down the charge is by increase the inner area of the IC in which the intake air has direct contact (by length, width or by increasing the number of fins inside the IC). All this has a total net effect of increasing pressure drop.

The first technique is usually employed by bar an plate. They drop the IC charge down by using inner surface area. No fins to impede the air flow. This causes a pressure drop and a somewhat good temprature lowering. A tube and fin IC uses the fin in the way approach. This is the most efficent way to remove heat from the intake charge but it comes at a cost. Higher pressure drop than a comparable bar and plate designed IC.

which is better?

No such thing they are both machines to do certain jobs.

Bar and plate
low pressure drop
removing heat from air intake is good.

Tube and Fin
higher pressure drop than B&P
more efficent at removing heat from air intake. Better.

 

[Poodles]

from my understanding the bar and plate is best in smaller spaces where you can't fit a large intercooler, and a tube and fin is betterin in a larger application.

bar and plate tends to take longer to heat soak because it's heavy and dense, but they don't flow as much air over them.

it's a tradeoff. Personally, if I had a nice large front mount it would be tube and fin, stock replacement I'd use a bar and plate.

Great thread, and great info, keep this up...

 

[figgie]

from my understanding the bar and plate is best in smaller spaces where you can't fit a large intercooler, and a tube and fin is betterin in a larger application.

quite the opposite actually if you think about it

The bar and plate since it is less efficent needs to be bigger. The tube and fin can be smaller since it more "efficent" and cooling the intake air charge.

bar and plate tends to take longer to heat soak because it's heavy and dense, but they don't flow as much air over them.

well that same propensity to NOT heat soak makes it also NOT absorb the heat from the air intake as well as the tube&fin design

it's a tradeoff. Personally, if I had a nice large front mount it would be tube and fin, stock replacement I'd use a bar and plate.

Great thread, and great info, keep this up...

It is a trade off. less "heat reduction" with less pressure drop or higher "heat reduction" with a higher pressure drop. That would be up to the consumer at a that point