Thread: intercooler cfm

Assuming:
ambient air pressure = 14.7psi
ambient air temp = 22C
boost pressure = 25psi
compressor efficiency 0.7 (70%)
intercooler effectiveness 0.65 (65%)
intercooler pressure loss 0.5psi

Then:
air temp after compression = 324F
air temp after intercooler = 160F

air mass flow = 20.9lb/min at 2000 rpm, or 27.9lb/min at 3000 rpm
corrected mass flow for Garrett compressor map = 19.6 or 26.2 lb/min
and corrected volumetric flow = 285 or 379 cfm

But suppliers rating for intercoolers in cfm is to be taken with a lot of healthy skepticism and I don't know if any of the above data will correlate.

Thanks john, it gives me a ballpark idea, I'll go with the bigger is better principal. (400+cfm)

Fwiw when I was looking I went with a ballpark 450cfm. Not sure how I arrived at it though... I think it may have been a previous Dougal post.

Due to not having room, this is about the biggest w2a I can fit under the bonnet, I can go bigger but that means cutting the bonnet. Would prefer a2a for simplicity (water and air mixing) but can only fit top mount, and I can see that creating headaches if it doesn't work properly.
Was going to give frozen boost ago, that way if it doesn't work I'm not out of pocket to much.
Heat exchanger is the next problem! bloody aircon

Originally Posted by Vern

Due to not having room, this is about the biggest w2a I can fit under the bonnet, I can go bigger but that means cutting the bonnet. Would prefer a2a for simplicity (water and air mixing) but can only fit top mount, and I can see that creating headaches if it doesn't work properly.
Was going to give frozen boost ago, that way if it doesn't work I'm not out of pocket to much.
Heat exchanger is the next problem! bloody aircon

I forget (again?), which vehicle is this going in Vern? What air con condensor do you have mounted at the front? If it's a 110, do you have the air con spec front grill? I appear to have about 2.5" of space between condensor fans and factory condensor in my 110 which is ALMOST enough for an IC without any changes. First glace makes it appear not too difficult to fit all 3 up front with some new brackets?

Pretty sure you can't fit a decent ata ic in a 110 with air con without moving the rad back. Don't forget you do need a gap between them too. I have a 1.5 inch thick radiator for my wta and it is quite tight. There is 2mm clearing the bonnet release leaver and the same on the support struts on the inside.

^ Without moving rad, I think you're right, but the condensor and fans would need moving forward still. But that must be easier than moving the rad.

In a range rover.