“We believe that our new treatment profile for motor sports customers provides the greatest control and longest duration of any cryogenic treatment process available”, stated Robin Rhodes, President of the Cryogenic Institute of New England, Inc. As the company’s founder, he has worked closely with several race teams that have become world-record holders in their performance classes for motorcycles and modified stock cars. Others, including boat, ski mobile and kart racers, have been victorious in national, regional and local contests. “Cryogenic treatment of engines, drivetrains, and brake systems results in better performance, increased output and longer part life that helps race teams win more races”, added Rhodes.
In practice, stock, modified or custom components are sent to the company’s processing lab in Worcester, Massachusetts, where they are subject to the proprietary Nitrofreeze® cryogenic treatment process. After treatment, the parts are returned to the racer or mechanic for any additional modifications and final assembly. Common parts for cryogenic treatment include all engine components, such as cam and crank shafts, pistons and rings, connecting rods and engine blocks. Drivetrain components, including clutches, gears and shafts, and brake rotors are also widely treated.
Cryogenic treatment of racing parts benefits the components in several ways. First, residual stresses from part fabrication are removed, greatly reducing distortion, warping and fatigue failures that are caused by crack propagation of stress lines. Second, steel components adopt a uniform grain structure, eliminating imperfections that improve thermal properties such as heat dissipation. This also reduces the coefficient of friction to produce less drag. Lastly, modifications to the microstructure improve toughness, increase part stability, and greatly enhance wear resistance. “By using our Nitrofreeze® cryogenic treatment service, racers can get increased horsepower and extend the high performance life of critical components, ensuring that they can finish the race, despite the grueling demands that race conditions create”, according to Ryan M. Taylor, Product Marketing Specialist at Cryogenic Institute of New England, Inc.
More information about cryogenic treatment for auto and racing parts is available on the company’s web site at, http://www.nitrofreeze.com/racing.html.