Introduction:
An intercooler is an air cooler. An intercooler is used when a turbo or supercharger is mounted on the car. The air coming from that turbo or supercharger goes under pressure to the engine intake (see the chapters turbo and supercharger).
In the image, an Audi engine is depicted with two intercoolers at the front. These intercoolers are often not directly visible because they are mounted behind the grilles in the front bumper. Some cars have one smaller or a long, large intercooler.
Temperature of the Compressed Air:
This air can become very hot, up to 150 degrees Celsius. The increase in temperature is due to the compression (squeezing) of the air. When air is warm, the molecules expand, and there is relatively less oxygen per cm3 than in cold air. Warm air is thus very detrimental to combustion. If the air is cooler, then the air volume is smaller. The volume increases with warmth, resulting in less net air yield. By cooling the air, the volume decreases and the filling rate increases. A better filling rate results in better combustion and thus more power.
Operation of the Intercooler:
The task of the intercooler is to cool this compressed air. The compressed air comes from the turbo, goes through the intercooler, and then goes to the intake section of the engine. The compressed air is blown via the tubes on the side through the small channels of the intercooler. Because the intercooler is mounted at the front of the car, driving wind flows through the intercooler. The compressed air gives off heat via the small channels to the driving wind, cooling this compressed air by tens of degrees.
The principle is the same as that of the radiator, where the driving wind cools the coolant. The intercooler somewhat resembles it. Only no coolant flows through it, but compressed air does.
In the image, it can be seen which path the air takes; from the exhaust side of the cylinder, the air moves to the turbo. The exhaust gases drive the turbine wheel, causing it and the compressor wheel to rotate. The turbo draws in air with the compressor wheel from the air filter to the air intake and compresses it. The air compressed by the turbo is led to the intercooler, where the air cools sufficiently to be directed to the intake side of the cylindera0.
