Intercooler Sizing Calculator
Size an air-to-air or air-to-water intercooler — core volume, face area, heat rejection, and expected efficiency.
How to Use
- Enter target HP and boost — the tool infers mass flow.
- Enter compressor outlet temp (or use the boost/η calc).
- Pick desired post-IC temp or enter ambient for target efficiency.
- Result: core volume (air-to-air rule), minimum face area, heat rejected.
Target
Intercooler spec
Formulas
Mass flow
ṁ_air ≈ HP · 0.55 · 12.5 / 60 (lb/min)
Efficiency
η = (T_in - T_out) / (T_in - T_amb)
Heat rejected
Q = ṁ · c_p · (T_in - T_out)
AtA core volume
V ≈ 1.2-1.5 in³ per HP
Face area
A_face = Q_cfm / (60 · 70 ft/s)
Frequently Asked Questions
Air-to-air vs air-to-water?
AtA: simple, no pump, bulkier, hot soaks. AtW: compact, great for drag/track, needs heat-exchanger loop.
Why face area matters?
Charge velocity through the core must stay under ~50-80 ft/s at peak flow, or ΔP eats boost and turbulence hurts efficiency.
Efficiency = ?
η = (T_in - T_out) / (T_in - T_amb). 65% is ok, 80% is good, 90%+ is race/AtW territory.
Common Use Cases
Turbo build
Pick a core from Bell, Vibrant, Garrett that matches your HP and face area.
AtW swap
Size heat exchanger + reservoir to manage the same heat rejection.
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