Electric WAI

[Cobb]

You got the right idea, a chase shift heat pump is efficient way of heating, but the thermoelectric ones arent that efficient.

The temp diff between the 2 sides isnt much either. You do know engine coolant is pumped through the throttle body, right? How about buying a mini pc radiator or a tranny cooler and cutting it up, tapping the coolant lines to the tb and stick this in the air intake area to preheat the incoming air?

The hose on top of the t stat housing thats like 1/2 inch is where it exits the motor, then it enters from the tb back into the head. The 3/4 hose on top the tranny/ima housing is for the heater core.

[RedDevil]

Thanks, I'll have a look when weather permits.

Weather does not permit it right now. Warm for the time of year (10°C) and the occasional drizzle. But the road was full of debris, I had to dodge a tree branch 7 feet long that snapped off in the storm and dropped right in front of me 2 seconds ahead. Slammed the brakes, drove over it anyway; no apparent damage.

The TEC is not as efficient as a an A/C style pump but it is light and fast. I just need it when the coolant is still cold... and it is an experiment done in part just for the sake of tinkering about

[Cobb]

Oh, well thats what its good for, a cheap way to make fast heat or cool in a small space.

How about something you bring hot water from inside and fill up? As that water looses heat the coolant in the car warms up and they meet in the middle?

[Occasionally6]

You might like to consider the amount of heat being rejected in the exhaust. At idle, 1.0l/hr might be typical. Using ~0.75kg/l and 43MJ/kg the rate of heat energy release is about 9kW. About a third of that goes out the exhaust. The exhaust manifold heats up pretty fast.

A duct off an exhaust heat shield and a butterfly valve - look for one on the air cleaner on an old car with a carburettor - should work if you want to heat the intake air.

[RedDevil]

I have thought of that.
I actually lose less than that at idle, about 0.6 l/hr (when warm!) but no matter.
The engine will already harvest some of the heat by its EGR system.

But others have done that already.
I want to know just whether an electric WAI does actually do anything.
If it does then we can get compare the merits to other WAI systems.
I only need WAI in the first minutes. Once warm my grill block does enough for a healthy intake temp. Whatever I use as WAI needs to be switchable, light and cheap.

I would like to try the hot water method as an experiment. I just need to find some way to transfer its heat to the intake air. Suggestions are welcome
I think I have a metal tablet tube which I can fill with hot water & shove in the intake snorkel. My UG should reveal whether it really helps intake temp...
I hope I can find it. At least it is a very simple experiment.

[iveyjh]

I would like to try the hot water method as an experiment. I just need to find some way to transfer its heat to the intake air. Suggestions are welcome

Find a heater core that will fit the intake box, or make a box that will fit a heater core, plumb in. You could add a thermostat to control temp.

[RedDevil]

Originally Posted by iveyjh

I would like to try the hot water method as an experiment. I just need to find some way to transfer its heat to the intake air.

I just did!
I found a tiny bottle which I filled it with near boiling water, so it was hot. Very hot.

It even says so

It fits nicely inside the air intake snorkel with room to spare.


Behind the snorkel you see the airbox. It is nice and square with room to play with in the top section.
I want to put my TEC and heat sink there, cooling fin on top of the box.

Anyway, test driving with the tiny hot bottle in the intake.
Was it too tiny to have any effect at all?

It did pull up the air intake temp by a few degrees.
I started of at 14°C in town; it jumped to 17°C and kept there while I got moving, even when the outside temp dropped to 11°C in the open fields.
Usually the intake temp stays close to the outside temp until the radiator valve opens or when stopped.
So it did indeed have some effect on the intake temp.

I cannot say I felt it economy wise. I did not have a perfect launch (two very short stops to a standstill), and my start off economy was not best ever. But it was comparable to a 17°C day (with some holdup) or maybe like a perfect launch at an 11°C day.
It seems to have a tiny beneficial effect, not worth the hassle but still.

Half an hour later at work I got the bottle out again. Cold, as expected.

[UFO]

Seriously? A hot water bottle?

[Ecky]

I know water has a pretty pretty decent specific heat, but I doubt there's all that much energy in that small bottle, compared with what you need to propel your car.

[dirtydave]

maybe use a tiny ceramic heater ?

http://www.amazon.com/Lasko-100-MyHe.../dp/B003XDTWN2

take the case off the guts and jam it in?