Intercooler

[RadoTD]

So me and Smokin' Eddy are chatting on facebook and are tossing around the idea of building the greatest intercooler ever.

Here's my idea - run an A/C evaporator in the charge air. Yes, that's right. Air conditioned charge air.

I'm thinking of running sort of an expansion box along my charge lines and mount the A/C evaporator inside it. So, the charge air running across it will nearly freeze.

Thoughts/suggestions? Am I overlooking anything? I've already got an A/C pump in my car, I would just need to run the lines, evaporator and condenser .

[Runt]

Overkill, and beyond the good kind of overkill, if you ask me. 
A good air/water is  adeguate for almost anything.  If you really wanted to do overkill, put in an air/water, then run an evaporator loop in a water chamber to get the water down to near freezing.  I'm not sure how you'd control the king valve at that point though. 
Regardless, I think that you'd lose more power running the compressor than you'd gain from the cooling, especially with our weather.  If you are that worried about charge temps, a little water/meth spray will cool the intake nicely, with extra bonuses in power, from what I've read.  This is what I'll be running, once I need it.   
As an afterthought, if you used coolant, not water, you could get the water temps down below freezing.   I've always figured the best way to do air water would be to pull coolant out of the cold side of the rad, back through a  dedicated mini-rad, and then use that coolant in the air/water cooler.  Return to hot side of the rad.

[RadoTD]

The point of it would be more "just because" than to build the most logical/proper system.

I see what you mean about using the evaporator to keep the water reservoir for an AWIC cold, but that seems to me to be even more overcomplicated and less efficient. With the evaporator actually inside my charge piping, all of the cold is transfered into my charge air. Keeping coolant cold, I'd be pumping potentially sub zero coolant through lines in a hot engine bay.

I've been toying with the idea of AWIC, but will most likely do either FMIC + water injection or this A/C idea.

[Smokey Eddy]

After a lot of work and expense you'll end up with a net loss of power.  What's the point??

Why would there be a net loss of power?
I think this would cool the charged air a lot more efficiently and effectively than the loss from turning the AC pump.
I think it would have to be tested to be known for certain however...

it's not exactly hard to do either.

Edit: I'd like to add that a FMIC wouldn't be avoided by using an AC condenser. It would run through the FMIC and then somewhere before the intake manifold it would run by the condenser.

[truckoSaurus08]

So how would this work? would you be pulling in air from the inside of a car? or some how run all sorts of tubing from the engine bay?
I agree that this would be a complete waste of time and money and the only reason people haven't done it is because it wouldn't be practical.
But hey, theres nothing wrong with a little experimentation so let us know how it turns out.

[OM617]

The A/C compressor draws more crankshaft horsepower than the cooler air would support. Thats why it was suggested to chill water, you chill it during low-load times so you have maximum power when you really want it.

Either way its better to just use an ambient temperature water system. A 1amp pump is more efficient to power than a 5hp compressor.

[arb]

when my Dad street drag raced in the late 1950's they would pack ice on their intakes before the run. It gave them more power, but did not cost HP due to a compressor load. I think you'd be better off using a IC from something big, like a Dodge cummins - that would be over kill, but look nice out in front of everything.

[Vincent Waldon]

The A/C compressor draws more crankshaft horsepower than the cooler air would support.

Yup... it's gotta... otherwise you would be getting more energy out of the system than you're putting in, and on this forum we obey the Laws of Thermodynamics !!!

The Simpsons - perpetual motion machine & laws of thermodynamics

[RadoTD]

I was completely overlooking the fact that the engine is sucking 300+cfm... The air coming out of vents from A/C can get below zero, but obviously the flow and temp differential are far different.
Now I see what you were getting at, Runt.

Looks like big FMIC + water meth makes the most sense. Glad I've got you guys to keep me thinking straight(er)

[zagarus]

I'll let you guys know how mine works when it's all done





 

[RadoTD]

That looks awesome! Please keep updates coming

Are you planning to come to any shows in BC?

[zagarus]

Oh ya, I was actually at Spring Unsprung, got a few pics of yer rado

Id like to have the coupe done for great canadian.

[TOZOVR]

Why not just use a water tank setup like the V8 guys... http://www.vortechsuperchargers.com/product.php?p=21

Seen quite a few of these on at the track (New England Dragway as well as NHIS and Lime Rock).  Some gusy run Ice and Water, some a glycol/ice mix or Dry Ice etc.   

Or just run an Air to water with a bigger/more accessible reservoir...some screens to keep ice in the tank...

[macka]

Lotus did a charge air cooler in the late 80's but AFAIK it was a water cooler, not an A/C type charge cooler.