I read every once in a while about the performance advantages of getting cooler airflow to your intake. I've heard about the various techniques guys come up with besides the cold air intake setup (ice, lunchbox freezer packs, etc.) I goggled and found this thing that some company is making and selling. Its basically a CO2 tank that releases into a sealed chamber adjoining the intake. Its been around for a few years, so maybe I'm the only one who hasn't seen it before.

http://www.cryofusion.com/

If nothing else, there's a couple of interesting (or frightening?) photos there that I got a kick out of, including a setup that makes use of the spent CO2. THAT I've heard of, just never seen it.

 

Reminds me of a system a friend of mine was telling me about that utilizes the AC compressor in a passive way to cool air temps in an extra intake reservoir. Apparently Ford plans to use it in their new F-series trucks.

I don't get what gains this would provide, though...the temperature of the intake air itself doesnt matter, it just generally means a denser oxygen supply. Adding carbon dioxide seems pointless, even enervative.

 

wow, I wouldn't think that an a/c compressor was nearly big enough to be able to do that. u learn something every day.

 

Actually, that was something planned for the supercharged Lightning based on the new body style of the F-150 but Ford never actually brought it to market. Supposed to help the engine make 550 hp.

 

the co2 is sealed, its only there for the cooling effect. anyhow, did you see the other thing they're advertising on the bottom of the page called the "cheetah"? its supposed to be for if you're on the strip, a nozzle releases the co2 out the side, which is supposed to rob the guy next to you of intake air, preventing him from getting a good holeshot off the line. i'm sure its mostly a joke. as far as the kit goes though, the question is- "how cold is too cold?"

 

it wouldnt help unless you cooled the air BEFORE it went in the intake. once its in the intake, you are going to have the same quantity of air. cooling it will only make it take up less volume at the point

 

ok, I understand what you're saying

 

cryo2 system is the big one. it uses co2 to rapidly cool air similar to a nitrous system. unlike nitrous systems there does not seem to be a 'shot' size that you can use. many use the system as intercooler coolers

 

If that's true, then why do people use intercoolers?

 

They are a pretty good rap group out of DC.

 

in a turbo car, people use an intercooler because the air that comes out of the turbo is so hot that you would have to run considerably less timing and run richer in order to not get detonation if there was no intercooler. thats not an issue in an NA car.

 

this isnt really going to help unless you're using turbo or sc.

 

Ah, makes sense.

Wouldn't the cooling help with a sufficiently large intake? cooling it is not going to do **** if the intake pipe isn't wide enough to get enough air for the engine in. but if there is a really big intake pipe, if the intake has more airflow than the engine, cooling it right before the engine would decrease the volume, which would create a little bit of vacuum sucking air into the intake, and denser air at that stage would allow more oxygen into the same cylinder volume, having the same effect as a larger displacement or higher compression?

 

if you're na you would benefit more from a no2 system.

 

no2 or n2o?