Could a Powered Intercooler Work? In theory at least?

[Shytheed Dumas]

I got wondering if something like it has ever been tried, or would even work...

Would it be possible to gain any meaningful horsepower by using your car's A/C system as part of an active intercooler system, instead of the familiar IC's that cool through passive airflow at ambient temperatures? Or does it take more power to run an a/c than you would gain from a system like this?

It seems like it could gain quite a bit when it's mid summer heat outside, but I guess it would depend on the actual temperature generated at the pressure you're running, how much power you gain per degree of lower intake temp compared to a stock system, and how much power it takes to run the A/C system.

Just a crazy thought, and curious if it would work. Any thoughts?

 

[limequat]

I got wondering if something like it has ever been tried, or would even work...

Would it be possible to gain any meaningful horsepower by using your car's A/C system as part of an active intercooler system, instead of the familiar IC's that cool through passive airflow at ambient temperatures? Or does it take more power to run an a/c than you would gain from a system like this?

It seems like it could gain quite a bit when it's mid summer heat outside, but I guess it would depend on the actual temperature generated at the pressure you're running, how much power you gain per degree of lower intake temp compared to a stock system, and how much power it takes to run the A/C system.

Just a crazy thought, and curious if it would work. Any thoughts?

Yeah, it can work! SVT did this with one of their supercharged Lightnings a while back.

 

[Jaguar_5]

Seems like it would be more efficient to use Co2 sprayers, or maybe peltiers, or just go redneck and surround it in Ice

 

[bigaaron]

The drag from the ac pump would probably rob more power then you would make from cooling the intercooler, plus all the heat would be pumped right through your radiator making the engine run hotter.

 

[bobiseverywhere]

i though i would try and take my head light squirters and use that as a good source to disapate heat from the IC, kind of like the stock water squirters on the WRX STI. i bet if you did that with the AC System you could get some awesome results. Water still makes for some of the best cooling heat disapation out there. mix that with some ultra chilled air. I bet it would make for a great combo.

Wish my car was running right now so i could try it.

One question i have is though. How would you control the compressor. I don't think you can just run in continously. or are you talking about using something like this just for the mid sommer heat only when your pushing it. Posibly putting a hat sensor and display on the IC so you know when it is getting to how then to turn the system on either mnually or automaticly

 

[limequat]

I don't know how much power it takes to turn the compressor, but I'd guess in the 10HP region. You could probably get most of that back just by supercooling the intake charge.
The real benefit, however, would be the extra boost this would allow you to run.

Control would be fairly easy. You could wire up a toggle to manually control the compressor, hook it to a Hobbes switch, or stand-alone control.

Although there would not be any more heat rejection into the bay than normal AC use, I think the plumbing would be the hardest part. You'd need some sort of heat exchanger in the intake and a way of diverting the refrigerant from the cabin exchanger to the intake exchanger. Maybe a solenoid valve.

All-in-all, it'd be pretty trick for a sort of high-boost mode, but wouldn't make sense for everyday tooling around. Furthermore, I'd prefer a system like this over any sort of sprayer. 1) You can't spray anything at the track, they'll kick you off. 2) Sprayers need to be refilled, recharged, whatever. 3) Sprayers will waste some portion of the cooling medium on to the ground and surrounding parts. A supercooling system would directly cool the intake charge.

 

[Insidious Surmiser]

Seems like it would be more efficient to use Co2 sprayers, or maybe peltiers, or just go redneck and surround it in Ice

yeh, all you NEED to do, is make a basket that is fixed above your ic... when you want to race, go to the gas station, pick up a bag of ice for 1.50$ and there ya go... a lot cheaper than nitrous

 

[Insidious Surmiser]

i though i would try and take my head light squirters and use that as a good source to disapate heat from the IC, kind of like the stock water squirters on the WRX STI.

i actually got the same idea from the same car, and i already did that, lol

 

[Godspeed]

you could always mount a basket behind you ic and when you wanna go race go to the grocery store and get a block of dry ice. its like $1.98 and it will last about 2hrs

 

[Insidious Surmiser]

you could always mount a basket behind you ic and when you wanna go race go to the grocery store and get a block of dry ice. its like $1.98 and it will last about 2hrs

read two posts above :biglaugh:

edit: dry ice you say?

 

[Shytheed Dumas]

Ice/Dry Ice - Nothing like the K.I.S.S. priniciple, eh?

 

[pimptrizkit]

you know the myth busters, have proven you get better gas milage with your ac on then having your windows up?

or having your tail gate up rather then down?

it's an exelent idea, just no one has done this for an aftermarket intercooler,

ac can actualy frost the condesor, so imagine the intake air temps.. mine as they sit are about 20* above the out side temps..

 

[Nick M]

The drag from the ac pump would probably rob more power then you would make from cooling the intercooler, plus all the heat would be pumped right through your radiator making the engine run hotter.

Yep.

That is why the Ford system was why it worked the way it did. It had a launch mode button, where it would operate to bring down the temps, but you didn't drive it that way. It was supposed to be something like 30 seconds to before your launch, you would push the button. But the truck was killed off so Ford could build that Shelby Cobra. Or some bean counter reason.

 

[Clinton]

you could always mount a basket behind you ic and when you wanna go race go to the grocery store and get a block of dry ice. its like $1.98 and it will last about 2hrs

behind?



CCC

 

[IJ.]

Water to Air is "powered"

 

[aphxero]

I've been playing with similar ideas lately. When drifting at the track heat soak is a real problem since you arent getting as much forward air flow. I was thinking a Nitrous setup filled with co2. I could have it on a full throttle switch.

I was also thinking of having it work with the 2 step rev limiter I have. So I can hold it open before I start.

 

[thesandymancan]

no one cares to hear about your crazy water to air intercooler IJ.





















j/k, i think it's badass... and sneaky.

 

[dbsupra90]

ice works. only problem is you cant do that at the track. i spose you could do it during the cool down period but they now dont allow people even to use ice bags on the motors. people got too carried away and just layered their motor w/ bags and the leaking water onto the track didnt go over very well.

 

[tekdeus]

Can you point us to your water to air link IJ?

 

[Fozbo]

you know the myth busters, have proven you get better gas milage with your ac on then having your windows up?

or having your tail gate up rather then down?

it's an exelent idea, just no one has done this for an aftermarket intercooler,

ac can actualy frost the condesor, so imagine the intake air temps.. mine as they sit are about 20* above the out side temps..

Do you mean the one where mythbusters ran two SUV's, one with AC on and the other with windows down? I am pretty sure that the SUV running AC ran out of gas before the SUV with the windows rolled down.