Notices
ScoobyNet General General Subaru Discussion

Can someone please explain intercoolers to me.

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 26 May 2008, 06:19 PM
  #1  
barndogg
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
 
barndogg's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 290
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Can someone please explain intercoolers to me.

I would like to understand the beneifits and reasons for having an intercooler if somone could be so kind to explain.

Is it purely to feed the coldest air into the turbo?

Thanks in advance.
Old 26 May 2008, 06:27 PM
  #2  
g7prs
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (5)
 
g7prs's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 5,197
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

Hope this helps.

Intercooler - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Old 26 May 2008, 06:27 PM
  #3  
cookstar
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (6)
 
cookstar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Stroke it baby!
Posts: 33,828
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

It cools the air after it leaves the turbo.
Old 26 May 2008, 06:29 PM
  #4  
barndogg
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
 
barndogg's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 290
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Thanks mate.
Old 26 May 2008, 06:30 PM
  #5  
barndogg
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
 
barndogg's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 290
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by cookstar
It cools the air after it leaves the turbo.
After?

Why?
Old 26 May 2008, 06:32 PM
  #6  
g7prs
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (5)
 
g7prs's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 5,197
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

As air is compressed its temperature is increased so the intercooler is used to cool it down before it enters the engine.
Old 26 May 2008, 07:17 PM
  #7  
mgcvk
Scooby Regular
 
mgcvk's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 2,884
Received 9 Likes on 6 Posts
Default

Colder air also has more oxygen molecules in it or summink so hence better combustion.
Old 26 May 2008, 07:42 PM
  #8  
Jeem
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (1)
 
Jeem's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Forfar
Posts: 437
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Colder air is dense making more power, like nitrous its flammable but cold which makes the air denser
Old 26 May 2008, 07:54 PM
  #9  
AshMurc
Scooby Regular
 
AshMurc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 397
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

yes basically. as a gas is compressed, its volume decreses and density increses.... buuut temperature increases too. As the gas gets hot its molecules whizz about faster and the concentration, if you like, of molecules per unit volume decreses, reduceing the overall efficency of the turbo's boost charge (so its like the turbo wants to compress the gas to a higher density, but the heat generated wants to expand it and reduce density!). we want as many oxygen molecules as possible so we can burn lots of fuel and therefore get lots of power. by cooling the compressed, very hot air from the turbo or supercharger by running it through an intercooler, we increase its density (and therefore the concentration of oxygen molecules among others). Same principal applies to cold air at low altitude being better for max power then hot air or high altitudes.
Old 26 May 2008, 07:56 PM
  #10  
Henrik
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (5)
 
Henrik's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: London
Posts: 4,120
Received 145 Likes on 109 Posts
Default

Also, the hotter the air, the more likely the engine is to knock, so timing has to be retarded to prevent knock (which saps power, of course)
Old 26 May 2008, 09:40 PM
  #11  
barndogg
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
 
barndogg's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 290
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by AshMurc
yes basically. as a gas is compressed, its volume decreses and density increses.... buuut temperature increases too. As the gas gets hot its molecules whizz about faster and the concentration, if you like, of molecules per unit volume decreses, reduceing the overall efficency of the turbo's boost charge (so its like the turbo wants to compress the gas to a higher density, but the heat generated wants to expand it and reduce density!). we want as many oxygen molecules as possible so we can burn lots of fuel and therefore get lots of power. by cooling the compressed, very hot air from the turbo or supercharger by running it through an intercooler, we increase its density (and therefore the concentration of oxygen molecules among others). Same principal applies to cold air at low altitude being better for max power then hot air or high altitudes.
Ok. That explains it pretty nicely.

So once the compressed air from the turbo goes through the intercooler, by the time it gets to the engine and mixes with the fuel it is full of oxygen which makes a for better combustion?
Old 26 May 2008, 10:39 PM
  #12  
Henrik
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (5)
 
Henrik's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: London
Posts: 4,120
Received 145 Likes on 109 Posts
Default

the oxygen content is exactly the same, it's just that hot air essentially takes more space, so you can cram less hot air into an engine than cold air. Not talking volume of air, but mass.
Old 26 May 2008, 10:42 PM
  #13  
Bubba po
Scooby Regular
 
Bubba po's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Cas Vegas
Posts: 60,269
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by Jeem
Colder air is dense making more power, like nitrous its flammable but cold which makes the air denser

Old 27 May 2008, 10:39 AM
  #14  
JohnD
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (5)
 
JohnD's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Havering, Essex
Posts: 6,252
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

Originally Posted by Bubba po
:

JohnD
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
KAS35RSTI
Subaru
27
04 November 2021 07:12 PM
Abx
Subaru
22
09 January 2016 05:42 PM
Tidgy
Computer & Technology Related
33
18 October 2015 09:59 AM
Ganz1983
Subaru
5
02 October 2015 09:22 AM
Flat4x4-again
General Technical
2
29 September 2015 06:32 PM



Quick Reply: Can someone please explain intercoolers to me.



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 09:30 PM.