Intercooler Witchcraft! Where is your God now?!

[motorhead]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1QL9veQaNg

[Forzfed]

It's called science, Mike!  Black body, gray body, emissivity, conduction, convection and radiation.  Not surprising, since I've done tests like this in school.  Black bodies will absorb more heat and temperature.  The greater the delta T the greater the heat transfer.  Q=m*C*delta T  No real surprises.

[earlbrown]

I was surprised they were so gung ho to paint intercoolers black.   The delta was less with the fan on.


...and since damn near all of an intercoolers heat rejection is convection, not radiation, why the hell would you want to insulate it?

[motorhead]

And this is the debate I wanted to stir...

The only real benefit I saw was that, as Earl indicated, a stationary intercooler would be cooler.  The only problem is that a stationary intercooler usually isn't being heat-soaked by a working turbocharger; but, therein lies the potential benefit during a high-boost stationary situation (ie. on the transbrake or running up hard on a hyperbar launch control system).

[good2win22]

Wish they would have tested an intercooler that was only painted on one side.  Like with a front mount... paint the side facing the radiator and leave the other side un-painted.  Maybe make the best of both situations.... and the shiny part is out there for all to see

[earlbrown]

They also didn't account for the fact that a black intercooler will be absorbing heat from hot radiators, asphalt, engines, etc...

[good2win22]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_mmmXTbLP0
 
Dude breaks down the science of it.

[Scoobum]

Great vid Jason...thanks . An engineer that simplifies things so idiots like me can understand it.

[motorhead]

I am still painting the intercooler in the TBSS black to protect it from oxidizing/corroding; which is why I am assuming many maufacturers paint their radiators and intercoolers black at the factory.

[Steve Wood]

figured you would be anodizing it

[motorhead]

figured you would be anodizing it

Please don't put ideas in my head... I am in the middle of rebuilding the cylinder heads, and lapping the valves is adding more and more time to the total refresh.  So the last thing I need to start researching is another finishing method.

[daveismissing]

Send it out for alodining

[Steve Wood]

anyone around you do alodining?

[motorhead]

Aladdining?

[good2win22]

It's been a while but I believe you can get a alodine kit.  Scotch Brite with aluma-prep, rinse and then soak with the alodine solution.  Might not be cost effective for something as big as an inter cooler done when done at home