How much hp for A/C?

[MaineShark]

How much horsepower does an A/C compressor draw?

How much horsepower can be gained by cooling the charge air?

Anyone get where I'm going here? Do the books balance?

Joe

 

[phoenix73]

:crazy

I like the idea, but I don't know if it you could actually cool enough air even with a well functioning AC.

Interesting thought though. I'd love to hear what others think.

 

[Remo]

Hit me with a cold one

Joe, Mike,

Isn't that what Nitros Oxide injection systems are essentially doing?

Remo

 

[Stallion]

I'm not %100 sure, but I think that's the main idea of cold-air induction. Maybe not. Anybody else have any ideas?

 

[compyelc4]

To my recollection typical A/C compressors may draw 3-5 HP when in duty cycle.

Lots of luck making that conversion!

Call GM....they've tried that routine.

 

[vettepilot]

actually nitrous adds a huge supply of oxygen to the intake charge if I remember correctly. It does cool the charge, but the main benifit is oxygenation.
I (long, long, long ago) thought about trying to figure out how to direct the intake air through the evaporator then to the intake, but finally decided it might not be worth all the relocation and building the ductwork. Plus, it is getting kinda crowded under these late model hoods, I think the best way would be to relocate the evaporator to the front area, and allow the air to pass through it after the filter on the way to the MAF.
Things were so much simpler back in the 60s and 70s.....
vettepilot

 

[vettepilot]

There is another way to cool the intake air, it uses pressurized air through a set of venturies, same as that used in aircraft. The Jet/Jet turbine engine produces bleed air from the compression process (Gas Producer) or N1. Some of that bleed air is routed through a series of venturies each venturi decreases pressure, and increases velocity, so that after passing through several of these in the system, the (500 +- deg) air is cool enough to be routed through a "core" or heat exchanger, then outside air is routed through the heat exchanger just like that through the evaporator in an A/C system. The result is very cool air that is used in the HVAC. It's almost "free" A/C because bleed air is taken off the "cold" section of those engines to drive other systems and/or accessories anyway. The loss of the bleed air does affect the EGT, TOT, or wherever the specific engine measures the exhaust gas temperature, thereby somewhat reducing the margin of operating temperature to the maximum temperature limit.
Now to make this work in a car might be impracticable because the air pressure source in a reciprocating engine would probably use more HP, and the weight would probably be prohibitive... far more than the return is my guess. But if you could find a way to produce about 125 lbs of air pressure, at a rate of about 300 CFM or better, let us know.....

vettepilot

 

[MaineShark]

Remo: as vettepilot said, the primary benefit of nitrous is the added oxygen (nitrous oxide is 36% oxygen, by weight - regular air is only 21% oxygen, by weight). The cooling factor does add in, though, by making the air more dense (as temperature goes down, the oxygeneight ratio remains the same, but the oxygenolume ratio increases). More oxygen means more power. Well, as long as you add extra fuel to go with it, that is... more oxygen without more fuel = boom!

Stallion: yup, that's the idea, except forced cooling would get the air even colder than the outside air.

The main problem does seem to be packaging. I know it's been done with drag cars, using a cooler full of ice as the cold sink. A continuous heat pump from something like an A/C compressor would be necessary, for a regular street-driven car.

I gotta think about this one, from a packaging, weight, and complexity standpoint. If it could work, it would be a very cool mod. (no pun intended)

Joe

 

[Remo]

Cold and "Real" Cold

Gentlemen,

Thanks for the eduction on Nitros Oxide. I should have elaborated some on my original message. I was just making a rough comparison relative to getting cooler air to the intake. Of course Nitos is the extreme methodology when it comes to delivering "cold" oxygen rich air. And yes when metered with the proper fuel balance it will result in a bigger explosion and ultimately more hose power.

The last super fast car I had was an 89 Saleen which had amoung other things a 125HP NOS system. That car consistantly turned in the 11's at New England Dragway (Epping, NH).

Nice chatting with you guys,
Remo