Which component is used to cool compressed air in many forced-induction systems?

Which component is used to cool compressed air in many forced-induction systems?

• A. Intercooler
• B. Piston ring
• C. Radiator cap
• D. Throttle body

Answer: (A)

When air is compressed in a turbo or supercharger, it heats up. Cooling that charge air makes it denser, so more oxygen is available per unit of volume and the engine can run more boost safely without knocking. The intercooler is the device that achieves this; it’s a heat exchanger placed between the compressor outlet and the intake manifold. It can be an air-to-air type, using outside air to shed heat, or a air-to-liquid type, using coolant to remove heat. By lowering the temperature of the compressed air, the intercooler improves power, efficiency, and reliability in forced-induction engines. The other parts don’t perform this cooling function: piston rings seal the combustion chamber, the radiator cap is part of the coolant system and doesn’t cool intake air, and the throttle body regulates how much air enters the engine but doesn’t reduce its temperature.

When air is compressed in a turbo or supercharger, it heats up. Cooling that charge air makes it denser, so more oxygen is available per unit of volume and the engine can run more boost safely without knocking. The intercooler is the device that achieves this; it’s a heat exchanger placed between the compressor outlet and the intake manifold. It can be an air-to-air type, using outside air to shed heat, or a air-to-liquid type, using coolant to remove heat. By lowering the temperature of the compressed air, the intercooler improves power, efficiency, and reliability in forced-induction engines. The other parts don’t perform this cooling function: piston rings seal the combustion chamber, the radiator cap is part of the coolant system and doesn’t cool intake air, and the throttle body regulates how much air enters the engine but doesn’t reduce its temperature.