The Impact of Elevated Turbocharger Outlet Conditions on Charge Air Cooler Durability

An experimental study to determine the impact of turbocharger outlet conditions, namely boost pressure and temperature, on charge air cooler durability was conducted. A charge air cooler, locally instrumented with strain gauges and thermocouples, was installed in a vehicle and tested in a controlled wind tunnel environment at conditions which produced different amounts of peak boost pressure and turbocharger outlet temperature. Findings suggest that elevated turbocharger outlet conditions should be approached with caution and that charge air coolers for such applications should include appropriate design features.