An air-to-water intercooler is a type of intercooler that uses water to cool the air charge coming from the turbocharger or supercharger.
The main advantage of an air-to-water intercooler over a traditional air-to-air intercooler is that it can provide a much denser charge of air to the engine. This results in more power being produced by the engine, as well as increased fuel efficiency.
There are several disadvantages to using an air-to-water intercooler, however. One is that they are generally more expensive than traditional air-to-air intercoolers. Another disadvantage is that they require a constant supply of water, which can be difficult to maintain in some climates. Finally, air-to-water intercoolers can be more difficult to install than traditional air-to-air intercoolers.
Advantages:This makes them well suited to complex installations where space, airflow and intake length are an issue. Water is more efficient at heat transfer than air. Thus, it has more stability to be able to handle a broader range of temps.Disadvantages:However, this system requires the added complexity, weight and cost of a radiator, a pump, water, and transfer lines. Typical applications for these are industrial machinery, marine and custom installs that don’t allow the easy fitment of an air to air, such as a rear-enginedvehicle.PlacementThe air to water can be mounted anywhere in the engine bay as long as the radiator is mounted in a position with good airflow or a Thermo fan attached to it.