Evo 8 intercooler worth upgrading
#16
EvoM Community Team Leader
iTrader: (60)
Two Questions:
A) What is an inter-coolers Function?
B) Once you've answered A, How big can you shoe horn in, safely?
Inter-coolers, I love this topic. I have seen same sized Bar Plate Inter-coolers from multiple prices, multiple manufacturers, including knockoff's, of Bar/Plate Variety, perform the same. Inter-coolers serve one purpose.
A) What is an inter-coolers Function?
B) Once you've answered A, How big can you shoe horn in, safely?
Inter-coolers, I love this topic. I have seen same sized Bar Plate Inter-coolers from multiple prices, multiple manufacturers, including knockoff's, of Bar/Plate Variety, perform the same. Inter-coolers serve one purpose.
#18
Evolved Member
iTrader: (4)
He's asking about sizes. The biggest one is not necessarily the best.
an inter-cooler has one job: Cool charged air as much as possible.
More surface area means cooler temperatures.
So in this case, bigger is better.
#22
EvoM Community Team Leader
iTrader: (60)
KillerB Motorsports:
per EngineBasics.com https://www.enginebasics.com/Advance...20Test%20.html
Not to say going bigger isn't better, just not biggest:
Also per EngineBasics.com:
TLDR: bigger is better, biggest is not. If it were, we'd all run 6" thick FMICs that covered the front of our cars.
"Getting a HUGE intercooler capable of making 2,000hp is going to be a detriment to performance on a 450hp application. Why? Because boost is made by filling and pressurizing the volume between the turbocharger and intake manifold. The smaller this volume, the quicker it fills. Conversely a huge volume between the two takes longer to fill. A little headroom isn’t a bad thing, but a lot is. Ideally, an intercooler is precisely sized to how many lbs/min the turbocharger can flow. Both turbocharger and intercooler core manufacturers, provide efficiency and flow rates that can be matched....intercoolers are bound by the laws of physics and manufacturing processes used. If there were exceptions to this rule, we’d all be using that magical product."
"Another important factor when evaluating an intercooler is the total pressure drop. What this means is, if you’re running 14psi as indicated by your boost gauge that means the turbos are actually producing something closer to 17psi. This pressure loss is a natural byproduct of flowing air, and the loss will grow as boost pressure increases on any given intercooler core. The trick is designing an intercooler core that is properly sized for the intended application in order to minimize this pressure loss.
Internal area affects pressure drop because as area increases, so does the available contact surface for the airflow. As discussed above, this puts the flowing air in intimate contact with more intercooler, which removes energy from the air. Air likes to attach itself to walls (or really anything that it’s flowing relative to) and this is called the boundary layer. The boundary layer is a theoretical point of zero velocity, and represents a flow loss to the air passing adjacent to it. When the total surface area of the boundary layer grows, energy is removed from the air, and the total pressure loss grows as well. So, this is just one reason why “bigger” isn't always “better”!"
Internal area affects pressure drop because as area increases, so does the available contact surface for the airflow. As discussed above, this puts the flowing air in intimate contact with more intercooler, which removes energy from the air. Air likes to attach itself to walls (or really anything that it’s flowing relative to) and this is called the boundary layer. The boundary layer is a theoretical point of zero velocity, and represents a flow loss to the air passing adjacent to it. When the total surface area of the boundary layer grows, energy is removed from the air, and the total pressure loss grows as well. So, this is just one reason why “bigger” isn't always “better”!"
Also per EngineBasics.com:
"On the other hand, increasing the size of an intercooler can also reduce the resulting pressure drop. The velocity of the air passing through the inside of the core is a function of the volume of air flowing and the passage cross-sectional area, and fluid friction is a function of velocity. So, if the cross sectional area increases and airflow velocity drops; then so does the friction generated and the resulting pressure drop. So there's definitely a balancing act one has to play when sizing an intercooler core for a specific application."
The following 2 users liked this post by kaj:
jetjockeyjosh (Aug 16, 2022),
Raceghost (Mar 1, 2017)
#24
EvoM Community Team Leader
while this subject is being discussed, why not convert water-to-air? Too complex, too heavy, both? It would basically eliminate pressure drop and shorten over all pipe length significantly. I know in drag racing its basically a hands down winner because you can dump a bunch of ice in the reservoir and really drop the temps.
#26
EvoM Community Team Leader
iTrader: (60)
while this subject is being discussed, why not convert water-to-air? Too complex, too heavy, both? It would basically eliminate pressure drop and shorten over all pipe length significantly. I know in drag racing its basically a hands down winner because you can dump a bunch of ice in the reservoir and really drop the temps.
I just about went back to my OEM FMIC but was talked out of it, after hearing how quickly they get heat soaked during road racing. I have a 3.5" AMS which is too big.. I will most likely sell it and go with the Blitz 3". It's a shame because turbos are very responsive with that OEM FMIC haha. It's all about finding the right IC that works with your turbo.
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