Water cooled intercooler?
Turbo Mini Forums

Was just sitting bored in one of my lectures when I had a thought- has anyone tried cooling the intercooler to reduce the temp of charge air? First thoughts were to rip out the guts of a mini fridge to do this, but seemed impractical, so how about a water spray system playing over the front end of the intercooler? Would try it myself, but I have no working car atm.
Any thoughts?

There is no sense crying over every mistake- you just keep on trying til you run out of cake.

Probably the most effective way is to squirt somthing on from a high pressure canister, giving a refrigerant effect, theres a company called cryo2 or something that do kits.

you're thinking of a chargecooler! this is simplistically an intercooler core (though they do have different fin design) encased by a water jacket and the compressed air goes through it as normal. The water is circulated around the water jacket via small electric pump to a small rad - with a little header tank to complete. Do a google pic search for the 07 GT3 lotus - it has a very prominent one to look at! they are mega efficient as well - the said GT3 chrgecooler reduced intake temps over conventional intercooler from 06 by 20-30 degs - not insignificant.

JK

If Carling made Mini engines
it would probably be like this one!

Subaru RB5s (IIRC) squirt water onto the intercooler to incresae the effect of it. We tried it on the TT a few years back at Avon. All the effort to get it working made no difference. If anything pressing the squirt button distracted me from driving...

http://www.twin-turbo.co.uk
http://www.hillclimbandsprint.co.uk/default.asp

A man without a project is like a like a woman without a shopping list.

The squirters on the Subarus are pretty crap. If spraying onto the core, you want a good fine spray that will cover a lot of the core.
It can be effective, but spraying onto teh core is usually only required because the core is inadequate in the first place, or poorly positioned ( subaru )

early legacy turbos had a chargecooler, and could quite easily be adapted to a Mini Id say.
Same with the later GT4 Celicas.
Lotus Esprit turbo, Lotus Carlton, and no doubt countless other cars.

Chargecooler means you can mount the core out of the way, ( well, dont have to worry about airflow ) which can be handier.

9.85 @ 145mph
202mph standing mile
speed didn't kill me, but taxation probably will

Lots of big V8 blown turbo/SC race cars have their cores inside the passenger compartment.

9.85 @ 145mph
202mph standing mile
speed didn't kill me, but taxation probably will

Charge coolers are great if space is limited (and in general). For me though the added weight of the water, plumbing, pump and wiring (not to mention the added complexity) means it is worth wile finding an intercooler to fit.

Just look at benross and JF for how a big intercooler can be fitted with little problem.

I do agree though that the spraying water will not help if the intercooler is already in a good position.

http://www.twin-turbo.co.uk
http://www.hillclimbandsprint.co.uk/default.asp

A man without a project is like a like a woman without a shopping list.