Heat Exchanger Water Flow Direction??

don_w · Sep 7, 2007

Here is a question for you guys. On an intercooler heat exchanger, there are two inlet/outlet ports... one at each end. One is mounted up high, and the other is mounted down low.

Which one would you think is the inlet side, and which one is the outlet side? And why?

3c673cxao7l9o7u80ag8as1g2 · Sep 7, 2007

As it pertains to the Whipple, the 3/4" inlet port is mounted at the top of the heat exchanger, while the 5/8" outlet port is mounted at the bottom.

Seems to me the inlet port would be higher. Otherwise, the pump would be working against gravity to move the fluid through the heat exchanger.

The image of the heat exchanger below is how you would see it sitting in the drivers seat.

MrClean · Sep 7, 2007

Does it make a difference? Other than getting the hoses to where they will connect, unless there's a check valve, I'd think the fluid would flow equally well in either direction....

Kevin@PMP · Sep 7, 2007

The inlet should always be at the top with the outlet on the bottom, as far as which side is which it doesn't matter.

MikeVistaBlue06 · Sep 7, 2007

3c673cxao7l9o7u80ag8as1g2 said:
As it pertains to the Whipple, the 3/4" inlet port is mounted at the top of the heat exchanger, while the 5/8" outlet port is mounted at the bottom.

Seems to me the inlet port would be higher. Otherwise, the pump would be working against gravity to move the fluid through the heat exchanger.

The image of the heat exchanger below is how you would see it sitting in the drivers seat.

Most car radiators that I have seen dump the hot coolant mix at the top of the radiator and then pick it up with the waterpump at the bottom port.

You fight gravity to move the water up (head pressure). However, the pumping resistance to the radiator may be lower by having the water drop down through the radiator rather than it being pushed up; i.e. gravity does help the pumping resistance.

Don that's a damn good question! :thumb:

One way to test the theory is to run it either way and see which one gives more flow (gallons/min)

One thing to watch out for is "residence time." If you pump the coolant too fast it won't have time to shed its heat in the radiator/heat exchanger!

Hope this helps.

Mike

don_w · Sep 7, 2007

OK, here is why I ask.

The KB unit uses the lower port for the inlet (see pic below), and the upper port for the outlet. It seems backwards to me as well. But, I double-checked the install manual and thats what it showed. Since I will be re-creating all the hoses for the new heat exchanger, I can make it go either way. I just don't want to assume I can reverse the direction.

.

3c673cxao7l9o7u80ag8as1g2 · Sep 7, 2007

Whipple has been very good about answering questions such as yours. Every time I've called, I've either spoke with Art Whipple himself or an engineer who worked on the supercharger. Don't hesitate to send an email or actually call Kenne Bell.

MikeVistaBlue06 · Sep 8, 2007

Another thing I was thinking is that the rate of return down the radiator is quicker so there is less chance of the pump cavitating as it tries to pull up new fluld and pump it to the top of the radiator/heat exchanger.

I'm thinking the other way might cause the pump to pull a partial vacuum, starve itself, and then cavitate.

However KB might do it in reverse to ensure the "residence time" is maxed out so that the fluid coming back is cooler!

Besides flowrate, the temperature delta between the input and output would be a good measure of how well it is working.

Hope this helps.

Mike

MikeVistaBlue06 · Sep 8, 2007

don_w said:
OK, here is why I ask.

The KB unit uses the lower port for the inlet (see pic below), and the upper port for the outlet. It seems backwards to me as well. But, I double-checked the install manual and thats what it showed. Since I will be re-creating all the hoses for the new heat exchanger, I can make it go either way. I just don't want to assume I can reverse the direction.

.

Ah! A picture is worth a 1000 words! Note that your pump is level with the top of the heat exchanger! This should make it easier to pump the fluid through the heat exchanger. The real work done by the pump is pushing it up to the intercooler!

One way to think about this is with all the hoses undone, if you start to fill up that heat exchanger where the pump is, then it will fill easily and start to pour out the outlet at the same time you see the level is full at the pump.

Hope this helps!

Mike

thump_rrr · Sep 8, 2007

I brought this point up to JDM a few months ago and I was discussing this with Ron yesterday.

The Saleen H/E has a top inlet and a bottom outlet.

Logically speaking cold water is heavier (more dense) than hot water which is why a car will always pull water from the bottom of the rad.

The problem with a heat exchanger doing this is that if there are any air bubbles they will collect at the top of the H/E with nowhere to go.
This will drastically reduce the cooling capacity of the H/E.
At the same time a H/E has side tanks which makes it far less critical than in an older radiator which has top and bottom tanks and vertical passages.

I will often hear air bubbles travelling back to my reservoir which is why I may modify my H/E in the near future to exit near the top.

don_w · Sep 8, 2007

Thanks for all the input guys. I'm going to mount the pump right on top of the new HE, and then use the lower port for the inlet (as KB did).

don_w · Sep 8, 2007

I re-used the bracket that came with the KB, and modified it to mount the pump on. It came out pretty well, I think... take a look.

ZmanM3 · Sep 8, 2007

Hmm, I would have just assumed that is was suppose to be top inlet bottom outlet irreguardless.

don_w · Sep 9, 2007

The more I think about it, the more it makes sense to have the inlet on the bottom and the outlet on top.

94tbird · Sep 9, 2007

i used the lower port for the inlet and the higher port for exit. Look at a Zamboni ice resurfacer. the pipe in the back distributes the water. the holes are in the top of the pipe to allow water out. this ensures the pipe is evenly filled at all items and water is evenly dispersed. if the holes were on the bottom. one side of the pipe would never see any water as it would have all exited already.

thump_rrr · Sep 9, 2007

94tbird said:
i used the lower port for the inlet and the higher port for exit. Look at a Zamboni ice resurfacer. the pipe in the back distributes the water. the holes are in the top of the pipe to allow water out. this ensures the pipe is evenly filled at all items and water is evenly dispersed. if the holes were on the bottom. one side of the pipe would never see any water as it would have all exited already.

So are you saying that you are attempting to build the worlds quickest Mustang based Zamboni?

94tbird · Sep 9, 2007

naa the cavalier had me beat on monster garage lol

don_w · Sep 9, 2007

You should be :banned:

just for injecting hockey talk into one of my threads.

94tbird · Sep 10, 2007

whats wrong with hockey

don_w · Sep 10, 2007

94tbird said:
whats wrong with hockey

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