Hi

I am making a lot of researches and maths about intercoolers, in the goal of optimal thermal efficiency and minimal internal pressure loss, and here is the conclusion of what I found:


- Increasing the width (A) = lowering the internal pressure loss ANDincreasing the thermal efficiencyBUT increasing external pressure loss(reducing flow going to the coolant rad)
- Increasing the height (B) = lowering the internal pressure loss AND increasing the thermal efficiency
- Increasing the lenght (C) = increasing internal pressure loss (nearly proportionnal to the length) AND slightly increasing the efficiency(but the more the lenght is, the less it increases efficiency)
Some thermal camera pictures have showed that the first inches of the length of the tubes are making the most of the cooling capacity.

All of this makes in evidence that this kind of intercooler shape with vertical flow:


Would be more efficient and less restrictive than this typical one:



However, on every FI S2Ks I could see, nobody has ever installed a vertical flow FMIC, and everybody is installing huge FMIC with 24" + lenghts.
My question is: why ??
Let me know what you think about that please

As for my personal situation, I am supercharged and already have the smallest possible pulley for my small C30-94 rotrex. Reducing pressure loss would be a way to gain some boost, while still increasing thermal efficiency.

 

What side is the exhaust manifold on and what side is the intake manifold on...there is your answer.

 

Man, this is not an answer.... I put a picture of a vertical IC with inlet and outlet on the same side, ok. You know that several things can be done with the piping...
And you can easily imagine that I put a random picture, but of course other outlet position do exist, mate...

 

I still think it comes down to packaging constraints and keeping fab hours down. That top treadstone intercooler looks neat though.

 

This.
Especially if you can get to your goals regardless of style/type.

 

Dayum, I need that for my SC setup. Even with large Heat Exchanger AITs aint cutting it.

 

Don't forget about the shape and design of the internal fins as well. They will dictate the overall flow and cooling effectiveness. The bottom pic will probably flow better overall but I'd be concerned about the mass of flow being through the center of the core or the entrance end and not as much on the far end...thus potentiality creating a higher IAT than a horizontal unit due the fact that the intake charge isn't in the core as long...could make a bit more power until the iat's rise...just a thought ...also...the less the flow of air has to change direction the better the flow. On that bottom picture, if the air enters the bottom then exits the top, it makes a 90deg turn once it reaches the beginning of the core...this slows down the flow due to the direction change..I don't believe that the end tanks on the cores have any airflow "smoothing ' design to them. They are usually completely open.

 

Pull off your front bumper and you'll find out real quick why only one intercooler design is used. You cant do a center feed because of the radiator. Good luck with cooling if you try a half size rad. You cant use a top side exit because of the frame rail.
The ONLY exception would be if you were doing a V mount setup.

 

Exactly! ...unless you really want to get into some serious fabrication...

if you haven't seen the lack of space...here are some pictures...
https://www.s2ki.com/forums/s2000-fo.../#post23945935

 

I am supercharged and I do have a FMIC with the inlet on the top



The FMIC is a 17.7 x 6.3 x 3.5" core, and the tank on the right of the picture has the inlet made with a 90°bend on the top (so the piping goes horizontal tward the left of the pic).
The piping is installed between the frame and the radiator, without any modification to the car
(RHD car, so the A/C tube are on the opposite side of the radiator)


This would not be possible with a 2.5" pipe, which would not fit.

I know the S2000 and the place available behind the bumper.
V-mount is not a direct fit to the car, and it needs a lot of modifications, however many people have done it. I just wonder why nobody has ever installer a vertical FMIC, with car modifications.

I made a little more reading, and it seems that people use vertical FMIC on big displacement engines (= high flow) and "small" boost (= moderate heat), to benefit from the high flow of this shape of FMIC.
For small displacement (=moderate flow) like our S2000, people stay with horizontal flow, and with high boost (=high heat) they use long cores to benefit from heat transfer, while loosing some pressure.

I just think that using vertical flow could maybe reduce pressure loss, even with a small displacement engine, and could be efficient enough for my 10psi setup (moderate heat).