intercooler fin engineering and design (ins and outs pics)
Mar 23, 2007, 09:51 AM
#1
intercooler fin engineering and design (ins and outs pics)
some basic info first. there's some nomenclature that is not well established so i'll sort of use my own, very clarified nomenclature scheme. corrections are welcome.
basically there are two planes for distinction in a fin analysis. the longitudinal "shape" and the transverse plane which i will use to describe how the fin wafer is brazed into the bars or tubes.
i'll refer to the inside finning as being inside the TRANSFER BAR OR TUBE and the outside finning to be apart of the COOLING BAR OR TUBE.
TRANSFER AND COOLING TUBES ARE MANUFACTURED IN DIFFERENT WAYS!!! we all know about tube header and bar plate design. but tubes in tube header design are made in different ways, there are extruded tubes and there are formed tubes (made from sheet metal, reference the arc intercooler). this should not be confused with the extruded lobe type fin design.
LONGITUDINAL DESCRIPTIONS:
lobe, extruded or hump finning. these are just bars that are extruded with longitudinal bumps to increase surface area.
standard or what i will refer to as straight or for clarity longitudinally straight or straight through. the air channel has no obstructions and surface area is increased just by dividing up the transfer tube.
louvred this means the fin is cut and bent so that there is noticeable meshing looking down the air channel.
cut or punched which means there's slits punched or cut into the fin but the fin is not distorted, the channels are still "straight" just got doors on them to allow the air to turbulate.
split fin, or where if you're looking down the channel the fins look like V where they're cut and the fins are "split". if you look at the channel as a cave there are a lot of stalagtites and stalagmites.
tabbed fins. this is what arc uses in their stock sized intercooler, the fins actually have small tabs on them instead of some manipulation or distortion of fins.
TRANSVERSE DESCRIPTIONS
there's basically only squared and unsquared. the unsquared resembles an accordian bellows... the squared is completely flat at the braze. it could be suggested that the lobe type extruded fin core is in its own category.
http://www.are.com.au/feat/techtalk/intecoolersMR.htm
some quoted from author=94AWDcoupe
ams intercooler outside (can't tell what kind of finning, need better picture) and inside longitudinally straight fin design.
buschur original "street" intercooler inside transversely squared longitudinally straight fin and outside is unsquared punched fin. low density for both.
buschur revised "street" intercooler inside squared longitunally straight fin and outside cut or punched fin. low density for both.
BUSCHUR RACE INSIDE louvred dense. outside louvred dense.
buschur old and new inside and out.
arc cast end tank intercooler outside transversely squared longitudinally straight fins
arc stock like intercooler. outside has a recessed squared longitudinally straight fins. inside is transversely squared longitudinally "tabbed" fins.
not the fine craftsmanship and channel geometries.
turbo xs intercooler inside finning appears to be unsquared but well brazed low density longitudinally straight fins. outside fin appears (from a picture that needs to be revised) to be squared up louvred fins but i need a better pictures
basically there are two planes for distinction in a fin analysis. the longitudinal "shape" and the transverse plane which i will use to describe how the fin wafer is brazed into the bars or tubes.
i'll refer to the inside finning as being inside the TRANSFER BAR OR TUBE and the outside finning to be apart of the COOLING BAR OR TUBE.
TRANSFER AND COOLING TUBES ARE MANUFACTURED IN DIFFERENT WAYS!!! we all know about tube header and bar plate design. but tubes in tube header design are made in different ways, there are extruded tubes and there are formed tubes (made from sheet metal, reference the arc intercooler). this should not be confused with the extruded lobe type fin design.
LONGITUDINAL DESCRIPTIONS:
lobe, extruded or hump finning. these are just bars that are extruded with longitudinal bumps to increase surface area.
standard or what i will refer to as straight or for clarity longitudinally straight or straight through. the air channel has no obstructions and surface area is increased just by dividing up the transfer tube.
louvred this means the fin is cut and bent so that there is noticeable meshing looking down the air channel.
cut or punched which means there's slits punched or cut into the fin but the fin is not distorted, the channels are still "straight" just got doors on them to allow the air to turbulate.
split fin, or where if you're looking down the channel the fins look like V where they're cut and the fins are "split". if you look at the channel as a cave there are a lot of stalagtites and stalagmites.
tabbed fins. this is what arc uses in their stock sized intercooler, the fins actually have small tabs on them instead of some manipulation or distortion of fins.
TRANSVERSE DESCRIPTIONS
there's basically only squared and unsquared. the unsquared resembles an accordian bellows... the squared is completely flat at the braze. it could be suggested that the lobe type extruded fin core is in its own category.
http://www.are.com.au/feat/techtalk/intecoolersMR.htm
some quoted from author=94AWDcoupe
Here is a pic of the stock cooler. longitudinally straight fin design inside and out. Runners are narrow but have a nice little velocity stack at the tube header.
Next up is e-bay xs power intercooler. 15 row version. transfersely squared up louvred fin design inside. unsquared cut or punched fin outside.
another ebay intercooler outside. can't identify finning.
another ebay intercooler outside. can't identify finning.
Next is slowboy racing cooler. 18 rows. longitudinally straight or standard fin design inside (the channels are straight).
XS engineering core. Very dense longitudinally straight fin and transversely squared up fin design. Also has nice little velocity stacks around the tubes. tube and fin but unique to griffin.
greddy v spec vspl 24 row intercooler. extruded lobe fin design inside. longitudinally straight fin non squared up fin outside.
ams intercooler outside (can't tell what kind of finning, need better picture) and inside longitudinally straight fin design.
buschur original "street" intercooler inside transversely squared longitudinally straight fin and outside is unsquared punched fin. low density for both.
buschur revised "street" intercooler inside squared longitunally straight fin and outside cut or punched fin. low density for both.
BUSCHUR RACE INSIDE louvred dense. outside louvred dense.
buschur old and new inside and out.
arc cast end tank intercooler outside transversely squared longitudinally straight fins
arc stock like intercooler. outside has a recessed squared longitudinally straight fins. inside is transversely squared longitudinally "tabbed" fins.
not the fine craftsmanship and channel geometries.
turbo xs intercooler inside finning appears to be unsquared but well brazed low density longitudinally straight fins. outside fin appears (from a picture that needs to be revised) to be squared up louvred fins but i need a better pictures
fullrace intercooler extruded lobe fin transfer tubes
pwr intercooler, basically the same as the fullrace unit. extruded lobe fin transfer tubes. longitudinally straight cooling fins.
Mar 23, 2007, 10:31 PM
#2
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Wow! Thnx alot for going the extra mile of taking all of these pictures and giving your insight about each one, we need more people like you on EvoM. Future sticky???? Perhaps... 
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Mar 24, 2007, 01:53 AM
#8
Interesting topic hope trinydex doesn't mind me adding a few pics of core manufacturers and fin designs myself 
. I can't include pictures of Chinese made intercooler manufacturers becuase they don't seem to be uniform according to sources... as in no real standard factory output.
Referenced out of the ARE archives for fin design here:
http://www.are.com.au/techtalk/intecoolersMR.htm
Cores and who makes a few!:
Adrad:
K&J:
Calsonic:
Garret:
Denso:
Spearco and ARE: (the "Our" is becuase its off ARE's site)
Fins and Ribs (you want some BBQ with those ribs?)
Two Adrad cores of different densitys:
Dense Adrad (top) and K&J (bottom):
Garret (top) and ARE (bottom):
K&J Ribs:
I'm going to stop here
. I can't include pictures of Chinese made intercooler manufacturers becuase they don't seem to be uniform according to sources... as in no real standard factory output.Referenced out of the ARE archives for fin design here:
http://www.are.com.au/techtalk/intecoolersMR.htm
Cores and who makes a few!:
Adrad:
K&J:
Calsonic:
Garret:
Denso:
Spearco and ARE: (the "Our" is becuase its off ARE's site)
Fins and Ribs (you want some BBQ with those ribs?)
Two Adrad cores of different densitys:
Dense Adrad (top) and K&J (bottom):
Garret (top) and ARE (bottom):
K&J Ribs:
I'm going to stop here
Mar 24, 2007, 12:24 PM
#10
there's more where that came from. i'm currently looking to work with evom staff to put up stuff i've accumulated. if you'd like to see more please forward your requests to evom staff for me. sometimes the wheels of beuracracy turn slowly. user excitement would galvanize some movement.
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core, design, engineering, extruded, fin, fins, griffin, identifying, inside, intercooler, lobe, straight, turbo, turboxs, xs
