Thermal performance and external air side pressure drop prediction for automotive charge air cooler (CAC) using 1-D simulation

Present work discusses about the developed simulation model aimed to predict the heat rejection performance and external pressure drop characteristics of charge air cooler (CAC). Heat rejection and air side pressure drop characteristics of CAC were predicted for the conditions of different charge air mass flow rates and different cooling air velocities. Lack of detailed research on CAC performance prediction have motivated to develop the simulation model. The present 1-D simulation has been developed based on signal library of AMESIM application. Input parameters for this simulation such as core size, tube pitch, tube height, number of tubes, fin density, louver angle, louver pitch, charge air mass flow rate, cooling air velocity, Charge air inlet temperature and Ambient temperature. Heat rejection curve and air side pressure drop of CAC were the output of the present simulation. This simulation can be effectively utilized to estimate the appropriate sizing of CAC. Developed simulation model predicted the heat rejection and air side pressure drop characteristics of CAC within 10% and 12% deviation against the experimental results. Hence, by the utilization of this tool, the CAC design and development time can be saved dramatically.