Heat exchanger plenums for go-karts

A go-kart, comprising:

• a frame;
• four wheels coupled directly to the frame such that the four wheels are rigid with the frame but rotate relative to the frame;
• a liquid-cooled engine mounted to the frame;
• a drive linkage between the engine and at least one of the four wheels;
• a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the liquid cooled engine;
• and
• a plenum body positioned in proximity to the heat exchanger such that the plenum body channels air to the heat exchanger, the plenum body defining an intake opening on a first end of the plenum body and defining a portion having a cross-sectional area larger than an area of the intake opening such that the plenum body defines an expansion chamber between the intake opening and the portion, and wherein the velocity of air decreases as it approaches the heat exchanger while passing through the expansion chamber thereby decreasing velocity pressure of the air and increasing static pressure of the air, and wherein the air pressure at an entry to the heat exchanger resulting from the body is matched to a pressure loss of the heat exchanger by having a ratio of the cross-sectional area of the portion to the area of the intake substantially equal to 4.2.

A go-kart, comprising:

• a frame;
• four wheels coupled directly to the frame such that the four wheels are rigid with the frame but rotate relative to the frame;
• a liquid-cooled engine mounted to the frame;
• a drive linkage between the engine and at least one of the four wheels;
• a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the liquid cooled engine and being positioned in a freestream location;
• and
• a plenum body positioned in proximity to the heat exchanger such that the plenum body channels freestream air to the heat exchanger, the plenum body defining an intake opening on a first end of the plenum body and defining a portion having a cross-sectional area larger than an area of the intake opening such that the plenum body defines an expansion chamber between the intake opening and the portion, and wherein the velocity of air decreases as it approaches the heat exchanger while passing through the expansion chamber thereby decreasing velocity pressure of the air and increasing static pressure of the air, and wherein the static pressure at an entry to the heat exchanger resulting from the body is greater than a freestream static pressure.

A go-kart, comprising:

• a frame including a steering wheel support;
• four wheels coupled directly to the frame such that the four wheels are rigid with the frame but rotate relative to the frame;
• a liquid-cooled engine mounted to the frame;
• a drive linkage between the engine and at least one of the four wheels;
• a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the liquid cooled engine, the heat exchanger being mounted rigidly with respect to the frame at the steering wheel support;
• and
• a plenum positioned in proximity to and on a direction of travel side of the heat exchanger such that the plenum channels air to the heat exchanger, the plenum defining an intake opening on a first side of the plenum body and defining a portion having a cross-sectional area larger than an area of the intake opening such that the plenum body defines an expansion chamber between the intake opening arid the portion.