How does the intercooler work?
An intercooler (also called a charge air cooler) improves combustion efficiency in engines equipped with forced induction (turbocharger or supercharger), thereby increasing engine power, performance and fuel efficiency.
The intercooler is generally only seen on cars equipped with a turbocharger. The intercooler is actually a component of the turbocharger, and its function is to improve the engine's ventilation efficiency. Whether it is a supercharged engine or a turbocharged engine, an intercooler needs to be installed between the supercharger and the engine intake manifold. Since this radiator is located between the engine and the supercharger, it is also called intercooling. Intercooler, referred to as intercooler.
One of the reasons why a turbocharged engine has more power than a normal engine is that its air exchange efficiency is higher than the natural intake of a normal engine. When the air enters the turbocharger, its temperature will rise significantly and its density will become lower. The intercooler plays the role of cooling the air. The high-temperature air is cooled by the intercooler and then enters the engine. If there is a lack of intercooler and the supercharged high-temperature air directly enters the engine, the engine will be damaged or even misfire due to excessive air temperature.
Since the temperature of the exhaust gas from the engine is very high, the heat conduction through the supercharger will increase the temperature of the intake air. Moreover, the density of air will increase during the process of being compressed, which will inevitably lead to an increase in air temperature, thereby affecting the engine's charging efficiency. If you want to further improve the charging efficiency, you need to lower the intake air temperature. Some data show that under the same air-fuel ratio, engine power can increase by 3% to 5% for every 10°C drop in the temperature of the supercharged air.
If uncooled supercharged air enters the combustion chamber, in addition to affecting the engine's charging efficiency, it can easily cause the engine combustion temperature to be too high, causing knocking and other failures. It will also increase the NOx content in the engine exhaust gas, causing air pollute. In order to solve the adverse effects caused by the heating of the supercharged air, an intercooler needs to be installed to reduce the intake air temperature.
Due to the existence of the intercooler, the engine fuel consumption can be reduced and the adaptability to altitude can be improved. In high-altitude areas, the use of intercooling can use a compressor with a higher pressure ratio, which allows the engine to obtain more power and improves the adaptability of the car.
The turbocharger compresses the intake combustion air, increasing its internal energy but also increasing its temperature. Hot air is less dense than cold air, making it less efficient at burning.
However, by installing an intercooler between the turbocharger and the engine, the intake compressed air is cooled before it reaches the engine, thereby restoring its density, resulting in optimal combustion performance.
The intercooler acts as a heat exchanger and removes the heat generated when the turbocharger compresses the gas. It accomplishes this heat transfer step by transferring heat to another cooling medium, usually air or water.
Air-cooled (also called blast-type) intercooler
In the automotive industry, the increasing demand for more efficient engines with lower emissions has led many manufacturers to develop smaller capacity turbocharged engines to achieve the ideal combination of engine performance and fuel efficiency.
In most car installations, an air-cooled intercooler provides adequate cooling and works very similarly to a car radiator. As the vehicle moves forward, cooler ambient air is drawn into the intercooler and passes through the fins, transferring heat from the turbocharged air to the cooler ambient air.
Water-cooled intercooler
Water-cooled intercoolers are a very effective solution in environments where air cooling is not suitable. Water-cooled intercoolers usually use a "shell and tube" heat exchanger design, with cooling water flowing through a "core" in the center of the unit, while hot charge air flows on the outside of the tube bank and through a "shell" on the inside of the heat exchanger. body" transfers heat. After cooling, the air is discharged from the intercooler and piped to the engine combustion chamber.
Water-cooled intercoolers are precision-engineered devices designed to handle the high temperatures of compressed combustion air.
