Cooling tower idea

Pepper · Post by **Pepper** » Fri Nov 15, 2002 2:01 pm

The idea behind this is to keep from doing any cutting to the main body of the car. This might be a silly idea so bare with me.

Imagine a say a 10?x10? rad, attaché a ?squirrel fan? to it so it sucks air through it. A ?Naca? duct supplies the air, the ducts can be placed any ware on the car. Now I know there has to be some kind of calculation for this, because you have to have a certain amount of ?cooling surface? to airflow ratio I?m sure. I?m seeing this to be compact and powered by the motor. More than one ?cooling stack? might be needed don?t know.

If anyone has any input that would be great, I?m looking more for the peeps who are problem solvers, not the ones who just point and say it wont work! Any bo-bo can pick out a problem. If this configuration won?t work, than what kind of ?cooling stack? will? I would like to keep with this idea in some way.

click normal veiw so u can see it right
http://community.webshots.com/photo/518 ... 4254wcffil

[This message has been edited by Pepper (edited 11-15-2002).]

Pepper · Post by **Pepper** » Mon Nov 18, 2002 6:56 am

soooo. does this mean its a silly idea? orrr its so far beyand yall that you wer amazed! just jokein.... anyhoo comeon, anyone!

ericsbracer · Post by **ericsbracer** » Mon Nov 18, 2002 12:41 pm

I'd be concerned that 10x10 is not enough surface area. Two might be enough, though. You might want to get creative with the ducting, go round to square and back, so you can utilize the full size of the radiator.

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Pepper · Post by **Pepper** » Mon Nov 18, 2002 12:46 pm

hhmm. what size do yu think? and howmuch air would have to go over it? do you think a Naca duct would do it?

zenjoe · Post by **zenjoe** » Wed Nov 20, 2002 1:36 pm

you are going with rotary power right? If so, you are going to need a big radiator, at least the size that came out of the doner car to begin with. that usually means cutting...

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Pepper · Post by **Pepper** » Thu Nov 21, 2002 7:15 am

Ya I?m going with a rotary, I?m trying to get away from cutting Joe. I think this set up could work if I can find the right combination of
1. Size of rad
2. Amount of air passing over it
3. Size of unit

There?s got to be some kind of calculation for this.

Oh and I found a pic on the net the other day ware a guy did something like this and used it on his VW bus, I cant find the link though

[This message has been edited by Pepper (edited 11-21-2002).]

Jim Molloy · Post by **Jim Molloy** » Thu Nov 21, 2002 7:57 am

Just another idea.A fellow here has a 13B
Rotary in his 68 bug.He mounted two small
radiators one on each side of his transaxle
down low.

Also has sort of a flap that hangs down in
the air flow under the car that diverts the
air into the radiators.Both have electric fans.

He modified his thermostat neck to be the
filler for the water.

Works great and no cutting of the body.His
car does have swing axles,so IRS could be
slightly different.

On my Super Beatle I just cut a scoop where
the grille in front used to be . Not too
noticible.Of course my radiator is mounted
in front,

Seems like your NACA scoop idea could work.
Maybe one on each side in front of the rear
fenders with duct work to the coolers.

Also remember you HAVE to use the big oil
cooler or your rotary will not last too long.

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72 SuperVert-12A Rotary,Yaw Carb,Racing Beat Air Filter,Custom Stainless Exhaust,MSD Coils.Unique is what we seek,bizarre is what we are

Jim Molloy · Post by **Jim Molloy** » Thu Nov 21, 2002 8:01 am

There is also a new style of radiator out on
the market.Its called a "heat soak" design.

Supposedly for a 454 Chevy V-8 the radiator
is about half the normal size.Made out of brass tubing.

Saw it advertised in "Rod & Custom "magazine.
Maybe have one thease custom sized.

Just another idea.

Pepper · Post by **Pepper** » Thu Nov 21, 2002 8:03 am

how big our your friends rads that are mounted back there?

Jim Molloy · Post by **Jim Molloy** » Thu Nov 21, 2002 12:22 pm

Its been awhile since I looked at them,but
they couldn't have been much over 12" square.
I think they were two row.

The rads took up most of the space in that
area.Mounted in front of the axles and behind
the body.

Hope this helps.

Pepper · Post by **Pepper** » Thu Nov 21, 2002 12:42 pm

would you or anyone else you know, know if thrs any kind of calculation for this?

[This message has been edited by Pepper (edited 11-21-2002).]

trevor_brady · Post by **trevor_brady** » Mon Nov 25, 2002 7:36 am

That's a good idea. You could have the NACA ducts in the rear side windows, and put the radiators into an enclosed box behind the back seat in a bug. Then you could have the hot air venting through the now defunct stock air intake grille under the back window. If the engine fits under a stock decklid, and the top of the 'box' behind the seat was trimmed to imitate a parcel shelf, it could look like nothing was unusual at all (besides the ducts in the side windows)

you've got me thinking!!

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Baja Wes · Post by **Baja Wes** » Mon Nov 25, 2002 6:40 pm

I am not trying to pick on you, but...

You don't want to cut the body but it's ok to put a big duct through the rear fenders?!?
Surely a small scoop under the front would be less noticeable.

I don't think a squirrel cage motor (at least a 12V one anyway) will give you the flow you need. You would need to go to some decent thermo fans.

I am planning on putting my radiator behind my back seat. a bit of cutting required, but it's not visible from outside the car.

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Wes offroadvw.net

[This message has been edited by Baja Wes (edited 11-25-2002).]

Pepper · Post by **Pepper** » Tue Nov 26, 2002 6:31 am

Well the pic was the only one I could find that had a vw with some NACA ducts on it, I would rather buy some after market fenders and cut them up than putting a rad in place of the spare. I just dont want to cut the body. Also I was thinking that the cooling fan would be ran of the motor using a fan belt. I don?t know what kind of fan would get more air sucked through the rad. Theirs a lot of things I don?t know about this ?idea? I?m sure the parameters need to be tweaked here and there, but I think the basic concept could work.. lol I?m just trying to find the calculation for it. That will set my parameters, size of rad & the amount of air needed to cool it

trevor_brady · Post by **trevor_brady** » Tue Nov 26, 2002 8:31 am

it's probably a better idea to have a thermostat controlled electric fan, than one run off the engine. What about when you've been driving really hard, but have to stop at a traffic light? The engine goes from 5000+ RPM down to 800-1000, and the fan slows with it, but the engine is about ready to boil over... A thermostat will keep the fan going til the engine is cool enough...
Providing there's enough air reaching the radiator, then a fan and motor from a production car should do, no? just make sure you make provision for the hot air to escape quickly and easily...

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