Concept Racing’s high quality, hand made Intercoolers use lightweight, efficient cores and can be manufactured from your original sample intercooler, cardboard template or simply send us your drawing / sketch. Intercoolers can be made to almost any size and shape, with whatever tube sizes, fittings and mounts required.

In a forced induction system air is compressed by the turbo / supercharger. When air is compressed it is heated – the intercoolers / chargecoolers job is to reduce the temperature of this hot air before it gets to the engine. The colder the air, the more dense it is and the more molecules of oxygen it has. Therefore the intercooler improves the combustion process which results in more horsepower and as well as less detonation.

Chargecooler V Intercooler

Both devices have the same aim which is to reduce the temperature of the charge air between the turbo and the inlet manifold but not result in too much drop in the pressure created by the turbo / supercharger.

Chargecooler – 

A Chargecooler is a water-to-air heat exchanger. Hot air from the turbo passes through one side of the core while cold water is passed though the other side. This water is then re-cooled by passing it through a small radiator at the front of the car. This system is more expensive due the core being more complicated and the need for an extra radiator, however it does allow for better placement and short pipe runs and therefore offer less Turbo Lag. It also means that the core is protected rather than being exposed at the front of the car like an intercooler but does increase the weight in a race car as well as taking up more space.

Intercooler –

An intercooler is an air-to-air heat exchanger. Hot air from the turbo passes through one side of the core (inside the tubes) while cold passes through the other side (through the fins). Both the flow of cold air and the flow of hot air are important.

At Concept Racing we aim to make intercoolers that are effective at lowering temperature without causing much pressure drop. This is achieved by access to a wide range of efficient cores combined with end tank designs that maximise flow of air through and across the core’s tubes. Cores are designed allow air to flow as freely as possible through the tubes whilst heat transferred away by louvered fins. Tubes also have an internal fin / turbulator which improves heat transfer. Core choice depends on the positioning of the intercooler and therefore the flow of air pre and post the intercooler core as well as available space.

We source cores according to the project requirements. Some cars require aerospace style coolers, which are a welded plate and bar construction, whilst most will find that braised tubular construction is sufficient.

To discuss your project please contact us by email, phone, fax or post.

Below is just a few intercooler smanufactured at Concept Racing, more photos can be found in this section of the website:

https://www.conceptracing.co.uk/charge-coolers-intercoolers-plenums/

Porsche 963 Intercooler -aerospace style core, which is a welded plate and bar construction

Toyota Celica Intercooler – braised tubular core construction. Shaped end tanks to improve flow

Aerospace style coolers, which are a welded plate and bar construction

Alfa 33 Intercooler – Stepped core due to packaging requirements

Drag Charge Cooler with large cap / neck for adding ice to system

Concept Racing Vortex Supercharged Hyabusa – It was a Concept Racing Project it had to have both an intercooler and a charge cooler – It’s what we do!!!

Concept Racing Vortex Supercharged Hyabusa – It was a Concept Racing Project it had to have both an intercooler and a charge cooler – It’s what we do!!!

Sauber Mercedes C11 Intercooler using aerospace cores with shaped end tanks to improve flow of air across the core.