Intercooler orientation?

[GTI-R Kid]

When mounting an intercooler to the front does it make any difference which pipe you use for inlet and outlet? Are intercoolers designed to work with air flowing in only one direction - or is it safe to assume that it can be reversed, turned upside down and so on without affecting performance?

Say for example an EVO VI intercooler. Standard the inlet and outlet are pointing downwards, but if you rotated it they would be pointing upwards. Would this work?

Or an R33 intercooler - if modified for straight inlet/outlet - does it matter which is which?

Rob

 

[Fast Guy]

I don't think they'll be designed to work one way. As for the orientation, I think which ever suits your pipe run would be best.

 

[GTI-R Kid]

Thanks for that Fast Guy.[]

Rob

 

[MarkMc]

I would check the inlet and outlet pipe diameters. I have heard that they can vary and the large is the inlet and the smaller the outlet. I think it is related to pressure drop across the cooler and trying to mask the drop. I’m not 100% sure on this though.

I know some of these air to air also have protrusions inside the intercooler to swirl(create turbulence) the air effectively against the outside surface for better cooling. I don’t know if these are directional dependant.

 

[GTI-R Kid]

quote:I would check the inlet and outlet pipe diameters. I have heard that they can vary and the large is the inlet and the smaller the outlet. I think it is related to pressure drop across the cooler and trying to mask the drop.
Funny you should mention that. I've been browsing a few American forums recently and have seen the different sizes mentioned where intercoolers are for sale - but they state the opposite (the inlet is smaller than the outlet[B)]).

Methinks more investigation is required.

Rob

 

[Fast Guy]

quote:Originally posted by MarkMc


I know some of these air to air also have protrusions inside the intercooler to swirl(create turbulence) the air effectively against the outside surface for better cooling.



I saw a picture of these years ago and they were just like little spikes stood up, so direction shouldn't matter.
The inlet should be the larger connection (if they aren't the same) as when air cools it's volume will reduce.

 

[purplemonster]

i have just bought an intercooler with very large inlet and outlet pipes to slow the air speed down inside the intercooler ,but reduce the pipe size down a little going in to ,and out of the intercooler ,to speed it back up to get to the engine ??????

i will also be ruiting the pipes away from any heat source,running as much of the pipes behind the inner bays ,and lagging any pipes that have to run through the bay ,

who knows what will happen

the cooler size is 33X10X3,with a core size of 26x10x3

sounds like a nice size to me

ill take some pics on the weekend .


ROBERT

 

[MarkMc]

quote:Originally posted by GTI-R Kid

Funny you should mention that. I've been browsing a few American forums recently and have seen the different sizes mentioned where intercoolers are for sale - but they state the opposite (the inlet is smaller than the outlet[B)]).

Methinks more investigation is required.


Rob


Yeah I remember reading about it in a magazine a couple of years ago. I also remember going over it in thermodynamic fluid mechanic subjects at TAFE. I think it was larger pipes diameters going to small diameter pipes meant more velocity higher pressure or was that higher velocity lower pressure I can’t remember to long ago.

 

[Fast Guy]

quote:Originally posted by MarkMc


Yeah I remember reading about it in a magazine a couple of years ago. I also remember going over it in thermodynamic fluid mechanic subjects at TAFE. I think it was larger pipes diameters going to small diameter pipes meant more velocity higher pressure or was that higher velocity lower pressure I can’t remember to long ago.


A convergent duct increases velocity, but pressure and temperature reduce.
A divergent duct reduces velocity, but pressure and temperature increase.