Air To Water Intercooler Vs Air To Air

Basically a water to air is better for cramped engine bays and street use short bursts on boost as the water gives it more heat sinking ability.

Air to water intercooler vs air to air. What is water to air intercooler. Air to air coolers use a fresh supply of air to flow around the tubes of the cooler containing the compressed and heated intake air thus removing or displacing heat. While in the production example fenske is using a bmw x3 m40i with the b58 engine which uses a manifold mounted air to water intercooler much like the venerable lineup of supercharged ford four valve modular engines and aftermarket kenne bell and whipple supercharget kits the science and design of all air to water intercoolers are similar across the board regardless of charge. The liquid to air intercooler is more complex than its air to air counterpart.

The compressed air then feeds into the intake manifold with its integrated intercooler. The water to air intercooler is the one where trading of warmth happens amongst water and the air. Since it s more intricate it normally causes greater open door for issues similar to leaks. In an air to water system the heat from the intake charge isn t removed by external airflow at least not directly but rather by a liquid coolant.

The water is pumped through intercooler with the goal that the warmth of the charge funnels is exchanged to water. Water to air coolers work in exactly the same manner but use water as a medium to displace the heat. A water to air intercooler is one where the exchange of heat occurs between water and air. This type of set up can be mounted anywhere and just needs to have water plumbed to it.

Air flows through the fins which allows the transfer of heat between the. This sort of set up could be mounted anyplace and simply needs water plumbed to the cooler. Cons of water to air intercooler. The coolant is pumped through the channels and tubes attached to the fins in the heat exchanger.

Air to air is better for long periods of boost racing as you can make the actual intercooler core larger and there will be a constant airflow over it. In this design the air and coolant do not make direct contact as they are directed through different passages. Water is pumped through the intercooler so that the heat from your charge pipes is transferred to the water. Requires a considerable measure of different accomplices to work.

As the name suggests the liquid to air intercooler uses engine coolant to transfer heat from the air passing through it. The air again comes in through the intake and through the compressor fenske says. Due to its necessity for the stream of water that this. In case that you have the room and could mount.