Could a Powered Intercooler Work? In theory at least?

[Adjuster]

Few things.
The compressor takes less than 10hp to run, more like 2 to 7 depending on the size of the system from what I've been told.
The older R12 freon was nasty if you burned it, so putting an evaporator into your intake tract to cool the charge was not a good idea. Ford only could do this because R134a is less of a problem when burned. (You would burn the freon if their was a leak as that gas would be sucked into the engine along with air and fuel.)

The AC system on your car is only on when you have the AC selected, or are using your defroster. Setting up this so you have "cooled" intake charge would be easy. No front mount IC needed, and I'd think a good water to air IC design would be fine, just would need to add an expansion valve where the freon was released into the intercooler. (And you'd need a suction hose/pipe to return back to the compressor.) The freon only flows when the compressor clutch is pulled in, so when you did not need this, it would have little or no drag on your engine at all.

The dual AC/heat systems used in Suburbans and vans have two evaporators running on one compressor system with no problems, so I see no huge issues with this setup other than plumbing up the system and making sure it works when you want it too. (Pressure switch is not a bad idea, have the IC system come on when you exceed 15psi or some variation of that.)

Good luck, I'm sticking with the FMIC air to air setup. It's simple, and it works fine.

 

[IJ.]

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

http://pwr.com.au/pwr/index.asp

 

[BTZ]

how about an air to air followed by an air to water. add some n2o intercooler spray and methyl inj and your set, lol.

 

[Shytheed Dumas]

I got thinking about that 10 hp to run a compressor thing myself, and it just doesn't add up. The a/c compressor for my house runs on 220 single phase, which I don't think can support more than 5 hp, and that cools 1700 square feet and another 800 in the basement. Even 3 phase 220 typically supports a max of 7.5 hp, if I'm not mistaken. There shouldn't be any need for a car's compressor to need anywhere the power that a home's unit should.

 

[figgie]

read two posts above :biglaugh:

edit: dry ice you say?

NOOO

Dry ice equals cracked IC.. Thermal shock.

 

[hottscennessey]

what about an alcohol (50%h20-50%meth) injection system with dry ice in the alky tank?

 

[billspreston01]

do a search for DEI's (design engineering inc) cry02 setup. A friend of mine has it on his mkIV. It's a badass system. I'm on dial up right now or I'd post the link for the stuff. Intercooler sprayers, fuel bar coolers, intake cones (3" intake tube with a cone in the middle that freezes). Read up.

 

[tekdeus]

That looks great. Any proof that it outperforms air to air? Were you able to measure air temp before and after? Is there anyone in the US that makes this type of system?

http://pwr.com.au/pwr/index.asp

 

[IJ.]

Tek: One of these days I'll put my spare IAT probe into the hot pipe and check how effective it is!

I got it more for the stealth factor as there's nothing on my car that gives away that it's turbo'd.

 

[tekdeus]

http://www.designengineering.com/products.asp?m=sc&cid=1

Wow! That looks killer. What kind of HP gains can be had with this setup, if you can reduce intake temps by 50 degrees? Looks like around $1000 for a multi-teir setup.

do a search for DEI's (design engineering inc) cry02 setup. A friend of mine has it on his mkIV. It's a badass system. I'm on dial up right now or I'd post the link for the stuff. Intercooler sprayers, fuel bar coolers, intake cones (3" intake tube with a cone in the middle that freezes). Read up.