liquid to air intercooler plumbing

[rockcrawl]

On a PWR barrel intercooler, which end should the water go in? Without thinking too much about it I'd say cold water should go in the turbo side and come out the engine side, but I'm not sure that's right. I don't know how the water flows within the cooler, they just say "the unique internal baffle system ensures an even amount of cooling is provided within the barrel itself.". I'm assuming it zig-zags back and forth through several stacked heat exchangers. In any case, it enters on one end and exits the other. I'm waiting for a reply from PWR but figured I might find a thermodynamics expert here.

[txf]

From my knowledge of cooling systems you have your coolant go in on the coolest side then exit on the hottest side.

So in on the intake side and out on the turbo side.

[eHoward]

I like that you stepped up to the plate and bought a real intercooler.

Well, if you want a more even temp across the entire intercooler, you'd feed the water into the inlet.

But if you wanted the outlet cooler, you'd feed into the outlet.

I'm not sure what the advantage would be to either.

I'm also not sure that the PWR is designed symmetrically as I've never cut one open so it might not flow well if you do it backwards.

[rockcrawl]

I just got a reply from PWR, they recommend the cold water going into the hot side (air inlet).

As for flow direction, there are no markings as to inlet or outlet, so I must assume that the whole thing is symetrical for both airflow and coolant flow. It sure appears so from the outside.

[The Dark Side of Will]

That's what I would have said... cold water to hot air; maximize temp difference and speed heat xfer.

[txf]

My knowledge is reversing it you'd have cooler water at the coldest air to still be able to cool it more. Get a temp sensor in your air stream before and after the intercooler. Try the water bothways then report back. Both directions have their strong point of why to do it that way. So it's a coin toss to me.

[txf]

And to go against all old europe standards, of just slap it together and not worry about it cause you won't utilize it anyway, "If in doubt, TEST IT OUT"

[The Dark Side of Will]

My knowledge is reversing it you'd have cooler water at the coldest air to still be able to cool it more. Get a temp sensor in your air stream before and after the intercooler. Try the water bothways then report back. Both directions have their strong point of why to do it that way. So it's a coin toss to me.

But with warm water at the inlet you don't transfer as much heat from the hot air at the inlet, so the air that gets to the outlet is hotter than it would be with cold water at the inlet

[teamlseep13]

Definatley put the cold water into the hot side. All heat exchangers work on the same principle that heat rejection is maximized when the two subtances have the greatest temp. difference.

[The Dark Side of Will]

He should only see a couple of degrees of temperature change anyway. Engine coolant doesn't see more than a handful of degrees of temp change going through the engine.

[p8ntman442]

Rockcrawl, I have run heat xchanger experiments in my thermodynamics labs at college. You will want to run counter flow, so whichecver side the hot air comes in the cold coolant should come in. Im not sure how it affects air/water, but on water/water xchangers it make a noticable difference, and thats at lower temp differences. With more extreme temps, it should prove the same, as pwr seems to agree.


Note: on large (industrial) heat xchangers, for the sake of the equipment, and locations of hookups, parralel flow may be used because the contact area is so much larger, it dosent really matter. but for lil ones, counter flow is best.

[The Dark Side of Will]

Rockcrawl, I have run heat xchanger experiments in my thermodynamics labs at college. You will want to run counter flow, so whichecver side the hot air comes in the cold coolant should come in. Im not sure how it affects air/water, but on water/water xchangers it make a noticable difference, and thats at lower temp differences. With more extreme temps, it should prove the same, as pwr seems to agree.


Note: on large (industrial) heat xchangers, for the sake of the equipment, and locations of hookups, parralel flow may be used because the contact area is so much larger, it dosent really matter. but for lil ones, counter flow is best.

What PWR recommended is parallel flow... cold coolant and hot air entering at the same end of the unit. Counter flow would be cold water entering where cooled air exited.

Now that it's been mentioned, I do recall something about heat exchangers liking large relative velocities (counter flow). I guess do what was previously suggested and measure the temp drop each way.

[Kohburn]

Now that it's been mentioned, I do recall something about heat exchangers liking large relative velocities (counter flow). I guess do what was previously suggested and measure the temp drop each way.

yes with counter flow you have a higher volume of cold water interacting with the air flow.. more potential for heat transfer

[p8ntman442]

Will, look at how we both said the air and coolant should meet. Hot air + cold coolant (my way) and cold coolant + hot air (pwr/your way).

In essence, you want the hottest air, meeting the coolest coolant.





+++edit cause im dumb+++