Heat Transfer in Radiators

Jignesh Gandhi
Heat transfer in Radiators

n Why Cool Engines?

n Engine Cooling Models
n Engine Cooling Requirements
n Heat Rejection Curves
n How cooling Levels are reported?
n Why add Ethylene Glycol?
n Radiator Performance Curves
 Why Cool Engines?

n To analyse energy transfer in radiators,

we must ask first “Why should we cool
Engines?”
n Understand this by simple model on next
slide.
n Based on laws of Thermodynamics.
n First Law – Energy can neither be created
nor destroyed but can only change from
one form to another.
n Entropy of an isolated system can never
decrease.
 Energy Balance
n Input Energy of fuel converted to
output mechanical rotational energy.
But with only max 33% efficiency.
n Out of 100 %
1/3 energy is mechanical energy.
1/3 energy is lost to exhaust gases.
1/3 energy converted to waste
heat.
 System Components
n Radiator, Water Pump, Fan, Thermostat
all form a cooling system.
n Each component has design
characteristics and limits and hence
Radiator design is a collaborative effort of
all these subsystems.
n We want to further extract energy from
exhaust gases and hence the business of
CAC.
n We also want to cool the oil and hence
the business of oil cooler.
Engine Cooling Requirements
Typical Heat Rejection curves
n Curves developed by the manufacturers.
n Plotted against engine speed as shown.
n High Power Condition also called rated
power. Generally this is the maximum
power developed by engine at given
conditions.
n High torque is also a critical condition.
n Radiator which meets high power
condition may or may not meet high
torque requirements of the engine.
 Heat Balance
n In a system, heat of engine is brought to
radiator by the coolant. This is transferred
to tubes and through fins to the cooling air.
n Hence in simplistic terms,
Heat given by water = M Cp (Tw in – Tw
out)
Heat Taken by air = U * A * LMTD
M- Mass of water flowing in kg
Cp – Specific heat at Const. Pr Kcal/kg/0C
Twin – Temp of water at inlet to radiator
Twout- Temp of water at outlet to radiator
U – Overall heat transfer coefficient KCal/min/m2- 0C
A – Core area (Heat transfer area)
LMTD – Log mean temp Difference.between heat
transfer fluids. 0C
 Coolant Flow Data
n As flow rate changes, the pressure
drop across the tubes in waterside
will also changes.
n Hence for accurate design full
data on pump characteristics is
needed.
n In reality, we only get data about
flow rate at max power condition.
This is a big problem.
 Fan Curves
n How much air fan will deliver will change
based on fan characteristics.
n Data generated by fan manufacturers.
n Data different for Truck radiators and car
radiators.
n Truck fans are engine driven and hence
variable speed.
n Car fans are generally electrical.
n Constraints in actual design to airflow due
to front hood, other parts etc also very
important.
 Coolant
n Mixture of Ethylene Glycol and Water.
n 50% most common.
n Increases boiling point of water from
1000C
to 120 0C when used with 7 PSI pressure
cap.
Also gives freezing protection to –37 0C .
This allows us to design and operate
radiators over a larger temperature range.
 Radiator Performance Curves
n These curves are plotted for the given radiator for
different air flow ratings and related heat rejection
characteristics.
n Also plotted are the air pressure drop curves for the
same configuration.
n For increasing the heat transfer, we use the
louvered fins or other fins which generate
turbulence to improve the overall heat transfer
coefficient.
What is the louver angle, how many fins per inch, how
many tubes, how many rows, depth of core these
are the issues which have to be decided in design to
arrive at the configuration which achieves heat
performance.
 Conclusion

n Radiator heat performance design is

dependant on many input conditions.
n Some are specified by the customer and some
are assumed by the designer.
n Heat transfer in louvered fins is a complex
subject on which lot of research is in progress.
n Many times designer works with insufficient
data and hence design fails in some condition.
n Design assumes 100% process capability. But
if there are problems in process, good design
will also fail.
n Lot of experimentation, verification and
validation is mandatory requirement.