Latent Heat Transfer

duncan · Post by **duncan** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 6:19 pm

a post on another forum (yes i do frequent others

) led me to start thinking whether different liquids are better at cooling. The case in question:

Intercooler Water Spray on the Impreza works by spraying the warm/hot intercooler with water which then evapourates. It is the latent heat transfer at this evapouration stage and not the cooling done by the water itself, that causes a reduction in the temperature of the intercooler.

Question is:

What is the best liquid for this heat transfer?

Someone must know, its bleeding years since I did A level physics

Spec'C'57 · Post by **Spec'C'57** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 8:20 pm

:?

over my head totally...

Andy_Cat · Post by **Andy_Cat** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 8:38 am

IIRC and i could be well off the mark... :roll:
Liquid Nitrogen has the highest energy mark, but then Gallium also has equally high energy :?: :!:
Dunno if thats any help? Probably isnt but thats about all i remember from Physics :oops: :lol:

andycaca · Post by **andycaca** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 8:39 am

CO2 is quite commonly used, however thats a pressurised system and literally freezes the intercooler when its sprayed. my gut feelings are water and/or methanol are the best liquids to use in a non-pressurised system.

plus theyre relatively cheap and easy to get hold of

Pike · Post by **Pike** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 8:59 am

Here's Danny's old CO2 "cooled" intercooler in action.

Gerry H · Post by **Gerry H** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 9:09 am

Methanol in the water. 8)

sdminus · Post by **sdminus** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 11:12 am

water..

972 BTU per pound

Scott