What material for intake piping?

[mazda2002]

What do you thing is the best material for a intercooler or intake piping on a turbo car?

Does the air get a lot warmer du to it being compresssed and therefore use aluminium for it's heat transfer abylities?

Or use stainless steel, even though it's a little heavier, it would insolate abit and would be stronger, also easier to weld?

I think those are the two important one, because they won't rust.

 

[RyanJayG]

best material for an intercooler is silver, due to its highest heat transfer properties... but since that would cost WAY too much, aluminum is #2.

as for piping a hard thermo-plastic would be the best, but again, this would cost WAY too much to have molded, unless you were going to make many of them. so again aluminum is #2, but this is also pretty espensive, so most people go with (sometimes coated) stainless steel or coated mild steel.

 

[mazda2002]

Why would you want silver or aluminium?

If you have a CAI, then the air in the intake is probably colder than the air around it.

 

[RyanJayG]

because silver transfers heat better than ANY material on the planet, and as a side not it also conducts electricity better than any too. but it corrodes quickly in the presence of oxygen. so its really not a good real world choice.

aluminum sheds heat almost as well as silver, and is MUCH more common. it is also what EVERY intercooler on the planet is made of.

and even if you have a CAI a turbo will super heat the air in the intake charge going into the engine... a intercooler is necissary at moderate to high boost levels because it can cool the air over 100 deg (believe it or not) and super hot air going into the engine can promote detonation that can and WILL kill your engine.

 

[mazda2002]

because silver transfers heat better than ANY material on the planet, and as a side not it also conducts electricity better than any too. but it corrodes quickly in the presence of oxygen. so its really not a good real world choice.

aluminum sheds heat almost as well as silver, and is MUCH more common. it is also what EVERY intercooler on the planet is made of.

and even if you have a CAI a turbo will super heat the air in the intake charge going into the engine... a intercooler is necissary at moderate to high boost levels because it can cool the air over 100 deg (believe it or not) and super hot air going into the engine can promote detonation that can and WILL kill your engine.

Got it thanks

 

[peepsalot]

because silver transfers heat better than ANY material on the planet, and as a side not it also conducts electricity better than any too. but it corrodes quickly in the presence of oxygen. so its really not a good real world choice.

Actually, diamond beats silver.(spin) <!--StartFragment --> It is over twice as conductive.

And copper is bettter at conducting heat than aluminum, but I guess it corrodes too much as well. I know some radiators use copper. Hmm, haven't looked at mine, I wonder...

I think that steel piping that is coated would be best for an intake system, and aluminum for just the intercooler. I think the idea would be that you wouldn't wan't the intake piping to conduct heat well, as it could soak up heat from the engine bay or something.

I can't wait till the shop finishes up my custom diamond intercooler, it is going to be the s***.(outie)

 

[RyanJayG]

ok, you got me on diamonds, but they aren't maleable so I left them out... but copper only spreads heat better than aluminum, but aluminum still dissapates heat to air better

 

[peepsalot]

But aluminum still dissapates heat to air better

Interesting. I've never heard that before. It just doesn't make sense to me though. You got any sources?

 

[RyanJayG]

<table border="1" cols="3" width="80%"> <tbody><tr><td>[font=Arial,Helvetica]Property[/font]</td> <td>[font=Arial,Helvetica]Aluminum[/font]</td> <td>[font=Arial,Helvetica]Copper[/font]</td> </tr> <tr> <td>[font=Arial,Helvetica]Thermal Conductivity [/font]
[font=Arial,Helvetica]@ 0 - 100C[/font]</td> <td>[font=Arial,Helvetica]237 W m-1 K-1[/font]</td> <td>[font=Arial,Helvetica]401 W m-1 K-1[/font]</td> </tr> <tr> <td>[font=Arial,Helvetica]Specific Heat @ 25C[/font]</td> <td>[font=Arial,Helvetica]900 J K-1 kg-1[/font]</td> <td>[font=Arial,Helvetica]385 J K-1 kg-1[/font]</td></tr></tbody> </table>
copper has a better conductivity (spreading heat)
and aluminm has a higher specific heat (amout of energy required to raise it one degree C)

 

[RyanJayG]

that being said, you still have to transfer the heat from the inside of the intercooler to the outside. thats why they are so large. a lot of surface area

 

[Brian MP5T]

Ok, back to earth now. I think the question was meant to be really more practical. Aluminum all around, FMIC and Hardpipes. Easy to get, easy to maintain and they will polish up like chrome if you look after them. If you want help soursing the parts for your car pleaselet me know.