Dual pass intercooled supercharger

Abstract

The dual pass intercooled supercharger includes a supercharger and intercooler. The system is configured such that air leaving the supercharger traverses the intercooler from one side to an opposing side two or more times.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dual pass intercooled supercharger, comprising:
 a supercharger; and   an intercooler in fluid communication with an exit of the supercharger, the intercooler configured as a dual pass heat exchanger having an airflow path from the supercharger that passes through the heat exchanger more than once.   
     
     
         2 . The dual pass intercooled supercharger of  claim 1 , wherein air from the supercharger passes a first portion of the intercooler and then a second portion different from the first portion. 
     
     
         3 . The dual pass intercooled supercharger of  claim 2 , wherein the second portion comprises two second portions on opposing sides of the first portion. 
     
     
         4 . The dual pass intercooled supercharger of  claim 3 , further comprising a housing, a first seal to prevent air from bypassing the intercooler positioned between the first portion and the second portion of the intercooler. 
     
     
         5 . The dual pass intercooled supercharger of  claim 4 , further comprising a second seal between an exterior edge of the intercooler and the housing. 
     
     
         6 . The dual pass intercooled supercharger of  claim 5 , further comprising a first chamber between the supercharger and the intercooler, wherein the first seal circumscribes a portion of the first chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The dual pass intercooled supercharger of  claim 6 , further comprising a second chamber between the intercooler and the housing. 
     
     
         8 . The dual pass intercooled supercharger of  claim 7 , wherein the second chamber is coextensive with a substantial portion of the intercooler second side, and the second seal circumscribes a portion of the second chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The dual pass intercooled supercharger of  claim 8 , further comprising a plurality of air outlets directed toward a lower side of the dual pass intercooled supercharger on opposing sides of the supercharger, and the intercooler is positioned above the supercharger. 
     
     
         10 . The dual pass intercooled supercharger of  claim 9 , wherein the intercooler is configured such that air enters and leaves the intercooler on a lower side of the intercooler. 
     
     
         11 . The dual pass intercooled supercharger of  claim 10 , wherein the heat exchanger is planar along an entire area with a substantially constant thickness. 
     
     
         12 . The dual pass intercooled supercharger of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is enclosed in a single housing. 
     
     
         13 . The dual pass intercooled supercharger of  claim 12 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises a heat exchange surface enclosing a heat exchange fluid medium, the heat exchange surface defining a heat exchange area, the heat exchanger configured such that the airflow path from the supercharger is configured to contact a first portion of the heat exchange surface, is configured to leave the heat exchange area, and reenter the heat exchange area to contact the heat exchange surface at a separate second portion. 
     
     
         14 . A method of compressing and cooling air to an engine intake, comprising:
 compressing the air in a supercharger;   passing the air exiting the supercharger through a first portion of an intercooler in fluid communication with an exit of the supercharger,   exiting the air from the intercooler into a common chamber;   passing the air from the common chamber through a second portion of the intercooler different from the first portion of the intercooler, wherein a heat exchange medium of the intercooler is in fluid communication between the first portion and the second portion.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising passing cooled heat exchange medium into the intercooler adjacent the second portion of the intercooler. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising removing warmed heat exchange medium from the intercooler adjacent the first portion of the intercooler.