Jun 05 2020

The Intercooler: What it is and How it Works

 

After knowing what the turbo is, as well as the different types that can be found in the market, we will go on to know one of the key pieces of the mechanical framework of supercharged engines, the intercooler. Due to the current trend of mounting turbo engines to most vehicles, it is an element that has been gaining importance and it is important to know the details.

You may be wondering what the intercooler is. The most basic definition we can make is that it is an intermediary between the turbo and the engine intake. It is responsible for cooling the airflow sent by the turbocharger (which works at very high temperatures), redirecting it to the intake manifold with optimal temperature.

To achieve this purpose, the intercooler needs to be placed in an area that receives the air from the front, in order to be able to become a fully functioning “fridge”. Generally, if its dimensions are large, it is usually placed in the central-frontal part. When it is smaller, a common position is in the front wheel passes.

It all starts the moment we demand power with the accelerator pedal. At that very moment, the turbo blades start to work, in such a way that they begin to draw atmospheric air through the filter.

The intercooler is in charge of cooling the air sent by the turbo, so if you suck in cold air (like in winter ), the work of this “fridge” will be much easier. Therefore, once the turbo shell sends atmospheric air through the pipe (as we can see in the photo above, the pink part), it is quickly sent to the intercooler.

The advantage of the intercooler being placed in a location that receives a large amount of air from outside is that it will not take long for the airflow coming from the turbo to cool down. If we continue to accelerate, the intake manifold will have the throttle open and the pistons will request more air. As we can see in the drawing, right now we would be in the part colored blue (which refers to cooler air), which enters the pistons and is expelled to the turbo exhaust shell (which is connected to the exhaust pipe).

In short, the air enters with an outside temperature in the intake shell, with the pressure heats up, the intercooler cools it and sends it with the appropriate temperature to the engine. Although at first glance it may seem like a normal and common invention, the intercooler helps supercharged engines give their best.