How does a Intercooler, actually cool air?

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Old May 21, 2002 | 12:35 PM
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b18tdelsol's Avatar
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Default How does a Intercooler, actually cool air?

Like, what's the mechanics of it..how does the intercooler Actually work? I'm talking about the front mount ones that most people have. And have you guys seen the NX "N-ter cooler"? it's supposed to cool the intercooler by spray nitrous on it, by way of a circular ring. Any body have experience with these?
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Old May 21, 2002 | 12:40 PM
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Default Re: How does a Intercooler, actually cool air? (b18tdelsol)

Its a heat exchanger. Just like your ratiator or the heat sink on your computers ecu. All those little fins you see are in contact with the cooler ambiant air. On the inside hot compressed air from the compressor side of the turbo flows through and comes in contact with the metal on the inside of the intercooler. Thus heat exchange takes place. I have left out the very basic mechanics of thermodynamics because I am afraid that I could not explain it quite right. Hope I helped some!
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Old May 21, 2002 | 01:35 PM
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Default Re: How does a Intercooler, actually cool air? (voltronR34)

i see...would using the N-ter cooler from nx, cause the engine to "breathe" in the nitrous?
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Old May 21, 2002 | 01:48 PM
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Default Re: How does a Intercooler, actually cool air? (b18tdelsol)

No. The nitrous is simply used to cool the intercooler(which in turn helps to cool the intake charge.)
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Old May 21, 2002 | 02:17 PM
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Default Re: How does a Intercooler, actually cool air? (ThePunk)

oh i see..so no chance it would suck in nitrous,..thats good.
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Old May 21, 2002 | 03:15 PM
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Default Re: How does a Intercooler, actually cool air? (b18tdelsol)

The intercooler is sealed. Otherwise the intake charge would just escape through whatever holes there where. Any time you compress anything, the matter heats up. The molecules being squished together create friction which creates heat. That is why an intercooler makes horsepower on a turbo motor. It is cooling the intake charge making the air more dense. Have you ever used that air in a can to clean your computer? You will notice that if you hold the valve open for more than a few seconds, the can quickly gets cold. The NX intercooler ring uses the same idea to chill the intercooler. The intercooler then has a greater capacity to exchange the heat trapped inside.
I recomend doing a search for the maxrev turbo stuff because there where some really good pictures posted that you can see the construction of an intercooler.
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Old May 21, 2002 | 03:46 PM
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Default Re: How does a Intercooler, actually cool air? (voltronR34)

I actually have a intercooler at home.. right next to my bed hehe. i'm gonna install my kit this weekend, once i get my car to freakin start. i got a fat *** one that came with the revhard 2C kit..its like 30inches.. ill try to post pics asap. I was wondering about the nx Nter cooler because,..i have most of the hardwarefrom my direct port setup, but if i wanna use it, i need to get just that ring thing.. i ask nx, they said it was 180 for just the ring...the whole kit, 380..
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Old May 21, 2002 | 05:18 PM
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Default Re: How does a Intercooler, actually cool air? (b18tdelsol)

The only thing i would worry about with using the nx N-ter cooler thing is that the high rate of temperature change on the intercooler will make it brittle over time, sounds fun though
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