A system designed to cool the intake air charge of an internal combustion engine using a liquid-to-air heat exchanger is the focus. This system effectively reduces the temperature of the air entering the engine after it has been compressed by a turbocharger or supercharger. A typical setup involves a core where the heated air flows, which is cooled by a circulating liquid, usually water or a water/coolant mixture. This cooled air allows for denser air charge, resulting in more efficient combustion.
Implementing such a system offers several advantages, including greater cooling efficiency in specific applications where space constraints limit the size of traditional air-to-air intercoolers. These systems can be more compact, making them suitable for tightly packed engine bays or applications where ducting for airflow to a large air-to-air core is impractical. Historically, they have found prominence in performance vehicles seeking maximum power output in a constrained environment.
