Charge air cooler

A charge-air cooler is the heat exchanger that sits between the turbocharger compressor and the engine scavenge or intake, cooling the compressed air before it enters the cylinders. Compression raises charge temperature to 150 to 200 degrees C; the cooler, a tube-and-fin or plate type with sea water or central fresh water on the cold side, drops it to about 35 to 50 degrees C. Cooler, denser air packs more oxygen per stroke, which raises power for a given displacement and lowers NOx and thermal load. A water mist catcher downstream removes condensate so droplets do not reach the cylinders.