Black intercooler

[Civic TSI]

I've been told last year that a black intercooler was more efficient but I've been quite sceptical about it, I mean black would retain more heat. Now the intercooler that I've used to build my new one was originaly black so maybe there's some truth behind this. Anyone could share some thoughts on this ?

BTW, I've just post some new pics on my site, including me with the intercooler, that way you'll be able to put a face on my posts.

P.S. It's the white Civic.

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To 24 PSI, and beyond !
HS Le Club

[Beaks]

A black intercooler should NOT be as efficient as bare finished one. You were right about black retaining more heat. You don't want to retain that heat; you want to get rid of it.

Now you can still have a black color I/C if you want yet still have it function well. You can paint everything black EXCEPT for the fins. They are the main heat transfer element and by keeping it bare, heat can still be transfered away effectively.

If your I/C is a OE unit, it maybe painted black for corrosion resistance or simply cosmetics reasons (most car out of the box has mainly black components like radiators).

-Wil

[rjaffey]

I wonder if black body radiation applies here.

[Civic TSI]

I've just have some thoughts. The color black retain all the light rays, which is why it's get heated compare to the white color that reflect all the light rays. Now most intercooler are located in a dark spot so therefor will not get heated. So black may not be better, but it may not be worse either. What do you think ?

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To 24 PSI, and beyond !
HS Le Club

[Civic TSI]

To rjaffey:

What exactly is black body radiation ?

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To 24 PSI, and beyond !
HS Le Club

[rjaffey]

OK, I'm not sure if I've got this totally correct, but I think it means that although black absorbs more heat, it's also better at radiating it.

Perhaps someone with some recent physics or engineering background can chime in here.

[AcuraMan]

I highly doubt the color of the intercooler will affect it's heat absorbtion properties, since we're talking about heat in air, not heat from light. If anything, the black paint is an insulator to the bare metal from the cold outside air, making the intake air charge less cool.

[rjaffey]

I agree, much of the heat energy is transfered mechanically, but the intercooler sheds some of it as light (infra-red) as well. I don't see it hurting on the outside at all. If anything, it might help a tad.

[Heretic]

I'd never paint my intercooler. The colors doesn't matter as much as what is giving it that color, ie paint. Paint would probably lower the conductance of the intercooler and lower it's efficiency.

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Ryan Earl
'99 Turbo SH
NTPOG - North Texas Prelude Owners Group
My Page

[lundgren]

A black intercooler located in the front of the car, as it's exposed to sunlight, will absorb more energy and will not be hotter than a more reflective one, which would be cooler.

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