Cooling the intake charge
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Joined: Oct 2004
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Cooling the intake charge
I have always wondered this and thought someone could tell me if it would work. I was wondering if you could route your air conditioning lines "through" the intake plenum, before or after going to the compressor too cool down the incoming air. I don't know if the RA132 (or whatever it is called) is cold enough for this to do any good or not. Just something that I have always kicked around in my head. Any ideas????
Racer
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 379
Likes: 170
From: Buffalo Grove IL
Someone brought this up a couple months ago, and I'm sure folks have tossed around the idea for decades.
I don't have any calcs to back me up, but I'd venture to guess that the the HP loss from driving the air conditioning compressor wouldn't offset the gain from a cooler intake charge. If it did, everyone and their mother (possibly grandmothers, too!) would be doing this.
Forced induction is a different story, though, since the compressors heat up the air quite a bit. Since the rate of heat transfer is dictated by the delta between the two temperatures, there's a lot more to be gained cooling 150* air compared to trying to cool ambient air at, say, 80*.
Ben
I don't have any calcs to back me up, but I'd venture to guess that the the HP loss from driving the air conditioning compressor wouldn't offset the gain from a cooler intake charge. If it did, everyone and their mother (possibly grandmothers, too!) would be doing this.
Forced induction is a different story, though, since the compressors heat up the air quite a bit. Since the rate of heat transfer is dictated by the delta between the two temperatures, there's a lot more to be gained cooling 150* air compared to trying to cool ambient air at, say, 80*.
Ben
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 62,157
Likes: 1,732
From: Athens AL
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
NO, You can NOT do this on the C4's system.
If you should happen to form a leak in the system, and leaks are common, you will introduce refridgerant into the intake charge and upon combustion, you will form a noxious gas that will kill you within moments if you stand behind the car.
Ford is doing it to cool the intake charge, and they have now formed improved refridgerants and better technology all around that prevents leaks from occuring into the system.
Thats the main reason why this has never been done.
If you should happen to form a leak in the system, and leaks are common, you will introduce refridgerant into the intake charge and upon combustion, you will form a noxious gas that will kill you within moments if you stand behind the car.
Ford is doing it to cool the intake charge, and they have now formed improved refridgerants and better technology all around that prevents leaks from occuring into the system.
Thats the main reason why this has never been done.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 5,970
Likes: 20
From: San Marcos Texas
The freon is always there but until you compress it, turn it into high pressure, condense it, run it through an orifice into a bigger line it doesnt get cold. It's chemistry, not the freon that makes it cold. Any gas compressed into a liquid that is allowed to change pressures from high to low rapidly gets colder...Without going into the details, thats the rough of it.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 934
Likes: 0
From: MO
Originally Posted by vader86
NO, You can NOT do this on the C4's system.
If you should happen to form a leak in the system, and leaks are common, you will introduce refridgerant into the intake charge and upon combustion, you will form a noxious gas that will kill you within moments if you stand behind the car.
Ford is doing it to cool the intake charge, and they have now formed improved refridgerants and better technology all around that prevents leaks from occuring into the system.
Thats the main reason why this has never been done.
If you should happen to form a leak in the system, and leaks are common, you will introduce refridgerant into the intake charge and upon combustion, you will form a noxious gas that will kill you within moments if you stand behind the car.
Ford is doing it to cool the intake charge, and they have now formed improved refridgerants and better technology all around that prevents leaks from occuring into the system.
Thats the main reason why this has never been done.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,700
Likes: 298
From: Ft. Lauderdale Fl
A simple mod......
If that worked, we all would have reducted our A/C to the air intake. We have talked about this many times over the years and I'm sure the General would have made this mod if it worked. The easy answer is: you use as much hp to power the A/C as power gained from the cooler air. My.02 cents.
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From: Alive and well in Burlington NC
Originally Posted by James94LT1
"Phosgene Overview
Phosgene is a highly toxic, irritating and corrosive gas. Inhalation can cause fatal respiratory damage...."
Not something I would want to be around.
