Anyone built their own "supercooler"?

[jordanvraptor]

I was wondering if anyone has rigged up their AC system to cool their supercharger fluid? I have heard this is planned for the new Lightning. I also remember posts about someone using a secondary tank of ice-chilled fluid that is diverted into the supercharger just before a run. I was thinking that you splice into one of the AC lines and install a two way valve that you can manually turn on and off. Then you run the secondary line you spliced off your AC line into a homemade heat exchanger that could fit into the fenderwell. The heat exchanger's return line would also feed into this new heat exchanger. The diverted AC cold line would coil around inside the heat exchanger and cool the return fluid from the stock or aftermarket heat exchanger. The cooled fluid would then go back into the supercharger. The AC line would loop through the fluid and exit and go back into its normal route through another two way valve. With these mods you would need increased AC coolant capacity and more intercooler coolant as well. The diverter valves could be used only at the track and turned off for normal use of your AC. Temperature guages could also be installed when you did the work to monitor the temps.

Do you think this is worth doing? Would cooled down intercooler fluid going directly into the supercharger make much of a difference? Just think, as you are idling and moving up the line for your run, you run your AC and cool down your intercooler fluid. Whe its time to make the run, switch off your AC, or not since WOT cuts out the compressor clutch anyway, and away you go.

Just a thought, whatcha think?

 

[BlkThndr66]

WOW that sounds like an awesome idea. ya know what you should do? You should make a kit for that and sell it. If it works well. I bet the guys that go to the track often would ****** that up. Awesome idea.

 

[32vmonster]

there was a post on this not too long ago. dont forget that your a/c uses up hp at the same time. just my .02

 

[DirtySanchez]

WOW that sounds like an awesome idea. ya know what you should do? You should make a kit for that and sell it. If it works well. I bet the guys that go to the track often would ****** that up. Awesome idea.

Here's the link to the Lightning concept: http://www.fast-autos.net/ford/fordlightningconcept.html

"Ford's patented SuperCooler technology cleverly provides a special burst of power for the SVT Lightning concept. Traditional intercoolers dissipate heat from the supercharged air by circulating coolant through a front-mounted, air-cooled radiator. With the SuperCooler system, the vehicle's air conditioning system is used to chill a small storage tank of coolant to about 30 degrees Fahrenheit.

On demand, the SuperCooler system switches the intercooler flow from its normal circulation and dumps the chilled coolant into the engine's intercooler. In turn, the intercooler dissipates up to 20 percent more heat from the charge air - resulting in a denser air charge.

A green light on the instrument panel indicates the system's readiness. SuperCooler is activated automatically when the driver depresses the accelerator to a wide-open-throttle position.

...

As a result of this cool technology, the SVT Lighting concept can give its driver as much as 50 transient horsepower for short bursts of 30-45 seconds and regenerate within 2 minutes under normal driving conditions. While its effect is similar to that of an aftermarket nitrous oxide system, the SuperCooler is completely self-contained, environmentally friendly and regenerative. "

 

[DirtySanchez]

there was a post on this not too long ago. dont forget that your a/c uses up hp at the same time. just my .02

You'd use the AC prior to your run to chill the coolant reservoir. Then you'd dump the reservoir into an intercooler with a WOT switch.

And then everyone would bitch at you because your AC is dripping water all over the track.