G
Guest
·Yes, I know, AnArKey is at it again.
This isn't a crazy idea, rather a borrowed one. It's pretty viable, and proven.
Basically it's having a evaporative liquid introduced before the compressor. In industrial uses (generators), it's water. For my case, methanol.
The idea is to intercool the compressor itself.
When the compressor is making boost, it's automatically making heat as a result of building pressure. Pressure acts to increase density, heat acts to reduce it. Two forces, fighting each other.
Quick lesson, term: density ratio: The relative density vs volume of air on opposite sides of the compressor, inlet vs outlet. This isn't the pressure ratio, this also takes into account the effect the temperature has upon the air.
Now if there is a liquid present in the air stream, that will vaporize as compression takes places, preventing most (maybe all) of the temperature rise, the compressor isn't having to work so hard. The density ratio, improves by over 35% by keeping the air cool during compression.
What this means is the same compressor wheel (ie turbo size) is able to make a LOT more peak power. The downside is you may wear the compressor prematurely. Also, I wouldn't try it with methanol on a car with a intercooler. I'm going to run without a IC, so that's not a concern to me.
I think it's mostly a matter of delivery. I'm sure there are some who tried shooting stream of tap water into their compressor blades and noticed wear. But methanol with a lower viscosity, far faster evaporation rate, and delivered in a fine mist, the wear rate should be low to non-existant. I have spoken with one individual who has done it and not had any major problems with it. If I wear the compressor, no big deal, they are like $75 for a new one.
Secondly, some of the methanol will vaporize before entering the compressor. In my experience, a ample supply of a fine methanol mist in a rapidly moving column of air produces near freezing temperatures, even with 90F incoming air. Compressors are rated for 25C air. By having the inlet temperature at near 0C, you have a ~10% increase in flow right there. This in in addition to the gains of "wet compression" described above.
You don't have to be the first to try it either. I'll do that. If I can get 650-700RWHP out of a compressor rated to max out at 550RWHP, that should be proof enough right?
Feel free to read around about wet compression. It works.
http://www.combustion-net.com/media_centre/2003releases/030712-cogen.htm
http://www.caldwellenergy.com/wet_compression.htm
This isn't a crazy idea, rather a borrowed one. It's pretty viable, and proven.
Basically it's having a evaporative liquid introduced before the compressor. In industrial uses (generators), it's water. For my case, methanol.
The idea is to intercool the compressor itself.
When the compressor is making boost, it's automatically making heat as a result of building pressure. Pressure acts to increase density, heat acts to reduce it. Two forces, fighting each other.
Quick lesson, term: density ratio: The relative density vs volume of air on opposite sides of the compressor, inlet vs outlet. This isn't the pressure ratio, this also takes into account the effect the temperature has upon the air.
Now if there is a liquid present in the air stream, that will vaporize as compression takes places, preventing most (maybe all) of the temperature rise, the compressor isn't having to work so hard. The density ratio, improves by over 35% by keeping the air cool during compression.
What this means is the same compressor wheel (ie turbo size) is able to make a LOT more peak power. The downside is you may wear the compressor prematurely. Also, I wouldn't try it with methanol on a car with a intercooler. I'm going to run without a IC, so that's not a concern to me.
I think it's mostly a matter of delivery. I'm sure there are some who tried shooting stream of tap water into their compressor blades and noticed wear. But methanol with a lower viscosity, far faster evaporation rate, and delivered in a fine mist, the wear rate should be low to non-existant. I have spoken with one individual who has done it and not had any major problems with it. If I wear the compressor, no big deal, they are like $75 for a new one.
Secondly, some of the methanol will vaporize before entering the compressor. In my experience, a ample supply of a fine methanol mist in a rapidly moving column of air produces near freezing temperatures, even with 90F incoming air. Compressors are rated for 25C air. By having the inlet temperature at near 0C, you have a ~10% increase in flow right there. This in in addition to the gains of "wet compression" described above.
You don't have to be the first to try it either. I'll do that. If I can get 650-700RWHP out of a compressor rated to max out at 550RWHP, that should be proof enough right?
Feel free to read around about wet compression. It works.
http://www.combustion-net.com/media_centre/2003releases/030712-cogen.htm
http://www.caldwellenergy.com/wet_compression.htm