We study the effect of heating and metal enrichment from supernovae ( SNe ) residing between galaxies on the Intra-Cluster Medium ( ICM ) .
Recent observations indicate that a considerable fraction ( \sim 20 % ) of the SN Ia parent stellar population in galaxy clusters is intergalactic .
By considering their effect on the relaxed progenitors of cooling flow clusters we propose that intra–cluster SNe can act as a distributed heating source which may influence the initial stages of the formation of cooling flows .
We investigate the increase in cooling time as a function of the energy input supplied by SNe and their assumed spatial distribution , and conclude that intra–cluster SNe represent a heating source which in some clusters can cause a delay of the formation of cooling flows .
This would imply that some cooling flows are younger than previously thought .
We also discuss the impact that a large population of intra–cluster SNe could have on the chemical evolution of the ICM in cooling flow clusters .