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Intercooler water spray - Is too much water bad?

Guilt-Toy

By Guilt-Toy,
in Engines & Forced Induction

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Guilt-Toy Grand Master

Guilt-Toy

Posted
Posted

Would spraying too much water onto your intercooler make it heat up the charge air?

I have 2 sprayers on the cooler which sprays water controller by a 6psi hobs switch...

Its a front mount cooler avo stage 2

Any ideas?

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NJR 34GTT Proficient

NJR 34GTT

Posted
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Can not understand how it could be possible but someone else may want to confirm this.

From a physics perspective, unless the water is substantially hotter than the cooler it will always cool more due to the evaporative effect.

INASNT Grand Master

INASNT

Posted
Posted

Yes unless you are heating the water by running the water lines 2 close to the engine or exhaust manifold the water will cool the intercooler not heat it up!!

How have you got ur system setup? Are you using the rear window wiper motor for the ic spray?

T517zGTR Apprentice

T517zGTR

Posted
Posted

Guilt - toy, I just posted a message expressing interest in getting a water spray for my cooler - I would definitely think it would have a cooling effect, especially in hotter weather. Evaporating water combined with wind can substantially reduce the temp of an object. Try it on your skin with saliva (Assume the saliva is the same temp as your body). Lick your hand and blow on it. Does it feel cool or hot?

Mik Experienced

Mik

Posted
Posted
Would spraying too much water onto your intercooler make it heat up the charge air?

I have 2 sprayers on the cooler which sprays water controller by a 6psi hobs switch...

Its a front mount cooler avo stage 2  

Any ideas?

You want the mist to be as fine as possible. On my subaru, I had a water spray set up that used very fine nozzles. The way it was set up, a very fine mist was sprayed in the the bonnet scope in front of the intercooler. The water would vapourise as soon as it touched the coooler or even before, therefore cooling the air.

I have seen a few people do tests on the track. Someone found that garden nozzles which used about 1L/min actually cooled the intercooler much less than misting nozzles which used one twentieth of the water.

When I set mine up, I used three brassnozzles designed for evaporative cooling which I imported from the US. The nozzles are made specifically for cooling sports stadiums and the like.

If anyone is interested, I still have the whole kit inlcuding nozzles, adjustable hobbs pressure switch, relays, switch and a custom made electronic controller which holds the pump on for 5 seconds after boost drops (keeps the pump going between gears). I'm willing to sell this kit as I no longer need it.

MM2death Grand Master

MM2death

Posted
Posted

Hi Mik,

you had your kit installed on your wrx correct? And with the stocko top mount cooler? How would this kit go on a car with a FMIC?

Do you have pics of the setup?

Cheers,

Scott

You want the mist to be as fine as possible. On my subaru, I had a water spray set up that used very fine nozzles. The way it was set up, a very fine mist was sprayed in the the bonnet scope in front of the intercooler. The water would vapourise as soon as it touched the coooler or even before, therefore cooling the air.

I have seen a few people do tests on the track. Someone found that garden nozzles which used about 1L/min actually cooled the intercooler much less than misting nozzles which used one twentieth of the water.

When I set mine up, I used three brassnozzles designed for evaporative cooling which I imported from the US. The nozzles are made specifically for cooling sports stadiums and the like.

If anyone is interested, I still have the whole kit inlcuding nozzles, adjustable hobbs pressure switch, relays, switch and a custom made electronic controller which holds the pump on for 5 seconds after boost drops (keeps the pump going between gears). I'm willing to sell this kit as I no longer need it.

Mik Experienced

Mik

Posted
Posted
Hi Mik,

you had your kit installed on your wrx correct?  And with the stocko top mount cooler?  How would this kit go on a car with a FMIC?

Do you have pics of the setup?

Cheers,

Scott

I had it with the stock TMIC.

It will work fine with a front mount, just need to suitably place the nozzles. The nozzles create a large amount of mist. From memory, ach is designed to cool an are of 10 squae meters or something in a sports stadium.

I have attatched a couple of pics of the nozzles.

Mik Experienced

Mik

Posted
Posted

Included is:

* 3 brass/stainless steel nozzles

* Power switch

* manual override switch

* Adjustable Hobbs pressure swicth

* Electronic control Box

* Power relay to drive pump

* Some hose

All you might need is a little hose if there is not enough there.

b2barker Enthusiast

b2barker

Posted
Posted

IMHO cooler sprays are a waste of time on a street car. In short bursts coolers work more like heat sinks than heat exchangers. That is, they absorb heat on boost and return this heat back to charge air off boost without actually radiating it to air. There isn't enough time to heat the cooler right through unless going hard for long periods. This is different to a track/race car which is on boost most of the time, which has good cause for a spray.

Also most of the effectiveness of the spray is from evaporation (hence the fine mist), so they are rendered useless in high humidity eg. BrisVegas. In BrisVegas a home ducted evaporative air conditioner would be better described as a fan.

ed Grand Master

ed

Posted
Posted
IMHO cooler sprays are a waste of time on a street car. In short bursts coolers work more like heat sinks than heat exchangers. That is, they absorb heat on boost and return this heat back to charge air off boost without actually radiating it to air. There isn't enough time to heat the cooler right through unless going hard for long periods. This is different to a track/race car which is on boost most of the time, which has good cause for a spray.

Also most of the effectiveness of the spray is from evaporation (hence the fine mist), so they are rendered useless in high humidity eg. BrisVegas.  In BrisVegas a home ducted evaporative air conditioner would be better described as a fan.

wouldn't it minimise heat soak when you are sitting @ the lights?

Mik Experienced

Mik

Posted
Posted
This is a simple way of doing it.

http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/sh...ead.php?t=52508

Cheers Rob

The nozzles used there won't do much for cooling, but will waste water.

The water needs to be made into a VERY fine mist to promote evaporation, as that is what causes the cooling effect.

dangerous_daveo Grand Master

dangerous_daveo

Posted
Posted

I still dont think the guys question has been answered. He is asking is TOO MUCH water bad.

And out of interest how bad would it be to put say metho or something similar in the water mix? As this would bring temps down even lower correct?

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