Heat Transfer-1

Performance Analysis of Car Radiator

Submitted by

Jeet Bhakta BT20MEC047

Ashutosh Katiyar BT20MEC009

Abstract

In this study, a complete set of numerical parametric studies of an automotive

radiator is presented in detail. The modeling of the radiator was described by two
methods, one is the finite difference method and the other is the thermal resistance
concept. In performance evaluation, the chiller is installed into the test rig and
various parameters including coolant mass flow rate, coolant inlet temperature; etc.
are diverse. A comparative analysis between different coolants is also presented.
One coolant is used as water and the other as a 40:60 mixture of water in propylene
glycol. It has been found that water is still the best coolant, but its limitations are
that it is corrosive and contains dissolved salts that degrade the coolant flow
channel.

Introduction

The demand for more powerful engines in smaller hood spaces has created a problem of
insufficient rates of heat dissipation in automotive radiators. Upwards of 33% of the energy
generated by the engine through combustion is lost in heat. Insufficient heat dissipation
can result in the overheating of the engine, which leads to the breakdown of lubricating oil,
metal weakening of engine parts, and significant wear between engine parts. To minimize
the stress on the engine as a result of heat generation, automotive radiators must be
redesigned to be more compact while still maintaining high levels of heat transfer
performance. In an automobile, fuel and air produce power within the engine through
combustion.

Only a portion of the total generated power is actually supplied to the automobile with
power, the rest is wasted in the form of exhaust and heat. If this excess heat is not
removed, the engine temperature becomes too high which results in overheating and
viscosity breakdown of the lubricating oil, metal weakening of the overheated engine parts,
and stress between engine parts resulting in quicker wear, among the related moving
posts. A cooling system is used to remove this excessive heat. Most automotive cooling
systems consist of the following components: radiator, water pump, electric cooling fan,
radiator pressure cap, and thermostat. Of these components, the radiator is the most

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prominent part of the system because it transfers heat. As coolant travels through the
engine’s cylinder block, it accumulates heat. Once the coolant temperature increases above
a certain threshold value, the vehicle’s thermostat triggers a valve that forces the coolant to
flow through the radiator. As the coolant flows through the tubes of the radiator, heat is
transferred through the fins and tube walls to the air by conduction and convection.

AUTOMOTIVE RADIATOR

A radiator is a type of heat exchanger. It is designed to transfer heat from the hot coolant
flowing through it to the air blown by the fan. Most modern cars use aluminum radiators.
These radiators are made by brazing thin
aluminum fins onto flattened aluminum tubes. The
refrigerant flows from the inlet to the outlet
through many pipes mounted in a parallel
arrangement. The fins conduct heat from the pipes
and transfer it to the air flowing through the
radiator. The tubes sometimes have a type of fin
embedded in them called a turbulator, which

Fig 1. increases the turbulence of the fluid flowing

through the tubes. If the liquid flows through the tubes very smoothly, only the fluid
actually touching the tubes would be cooled directly. The amount of heat transferred to the
tubes from the fluid flowing through them depends on the temperature difference
between the tube and the fluid in contact with it. Therefore, if the fluid in contact with the
tube is cooled quickly, less heat will be transferred. By creating turbulence inside the tube,
all the fluid is mixed together, keeping the temperature of the fluid touching the tubes up,
so more heat can be extracted and all the fluid inside the tube is used efficiently. Radiators
usually have a reservoir on each side and inside the reservoir is a transmission cooler. From
Fig. 1 shows the inlet and outlet where the transmission oil enters the cooler. A
transmission cooler is like a radiator within a radiator, but instead of exchanging heat with
the air, the oil exchanges heat with the coolant in the radiator.

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WORKING OF RADIATOR

The pump sends fluid to the engine block where it makes its way through passages in the
engine around the cylinders. It then returns through the engine cylinder head. The
thermostat is located where the fluid leaves the engine. The plumbing around the
thermostat sends fluid back to the pump directly if the thermostat is closed. If it is open,
the liquid first passes through the cooler and then back to the pump [1]. There is also a
separate circuit for the heating system. This circuit takes fluid from the cylinder head and
routes it through the heater core and then back to the pump. Cars with an automatic
transmission usually also have a separate circuit for cooling the transmission fluid built into
the radiator. The transmission oil is

Fig 2

pumped through the transmission through the second heat exchanger inside the cooler as
shown in Fig.2.

COOLING SYSTEM AND ANTIFREEZE

A car's cooling system is a set of parts and substances (coolants) that work together to keep
the engine temperature at an optimal level. Consisting of many different components such

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as water pump, coolant, thermostat, etc., the system allows the engine to run smoothly and
efficiently while protecting it from damage. When a car engine is running, it generates a
huge amount of heat. Each combustion cycle involves thousands of controlled explosions
that occur every minute inside the engine. If the car is running and the heat generated
inside is not dissipated, it would cause the engine to self-destruct. Therefore, it is necessary
to remove the waste heat at the same time. While waste heat is also removed through the
intake of cool air and the exit of hot exhaust gases, the engine's cooling system is
specifically designed to keep the temperature within limits. The cooling system basically
includes passages inside the engine block and head, a pump to circulate the coolant, a
thermostat to control the coolant flow, a radiator to cool the coolant, and a radiator cap to
control the pressure in the system. To achieve the cooling effect, the system circulates
liquid coolant through channels in the engine block and heads. The coolant absorbs heat as
it passes through before returning to the radiator where it cools itself. Next, the cooled
coolant is recirculated and the cycle continues to keep the engine temperature at the
correct levels.

AUTOMOTIVE USE OF ANTIFREEZE

The term engine coolant is widely used in the automotive industry to cover its primary
function of heat transfer by convection. When used in an automotive context, corrosion
inhibitors are also added to help protect vehicle cooling systems, which often contain a
variety of electrochemically incompatible metals (aluminum, cast iron, copper, lead solder,
etc.).

Antifreeze was developed to overcome the shortcomings of water as a heat transfer fluid.
Most engines have antifreeze plugs located in the engine block that could protect the
engine if there was no antifreeze in the cooling system or if the ambient temperature
dropped below the freezing point of the antifreeze. If the engine coolant is too hot, it could
boil inside the engine, causing voids (vapor pockets) leading to catastrophic engine failure.
Using the correct engine coolant and pressurized cooling system can help alleviate both
problems. Some antifreezes can prevent freezing down to -870C

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ANTIFREEZE AGENTS:

Methanol
Methanol, also known as methyl alcohol, carbinol, wood alcohol, wood naphtha or wood
spirit, is a chemical compound with the chemical formula
CH3OH (often abbreviated MeOH). It is the simplest alcohol
and is a light, volatile, colorless, flammable, poisonous liquid
with a distinct odor that is somewhat milder and sweeter than
ethanol (ethyl alcohol). It is a polar liquid at room temperature
and is used as an antifreeze, solvent, fuel and as a denaturant
for ethyl alcohol. It's not very popular in machinery, but it can be found in car windshield
washer fluid, antifreeze, and gasoline additives to name a few.

Ethylene glycol
Ethylene glycol (IUPAC name: ethane-1,2-diol) is an organic compound widely used as an
automotive antifreeze and polymer precursor. In its pure form it is odorless, colorless,
syrupy, sweet tasting Fig. 3: Ethylene glycol liquid. However, ethylene glycol is toxic and can
cause death if ingested. Ethylene glycol solutions became available
in 1926 and were marketed as "permanent antifreeze" because the
higher boiling points provided advantages for summer use as well as
during cold weather.

They are still used today for a wide variety of applications, including
automobiles. Because ethylene glycol is ubiquitous, it has
occasionally been ingested, causing ethylene glycol poisoning. Due
to its toxicity, coolant containing ethylene glycol should not be
disposed of in a way that could lead to its ingestion by animals. Many animals like its sweet
taste. Even a small teaspoon can be fatal for a cat and four teaspoons can be dangerous for
a dog. In some places it is allowed to pour a moderate amount down the toilet, but there
are also places where it can be taken for processing.

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Propylene glycol
Propylene glycol, on the other hand, is considerably less toxic and can be labeled as
"non-toxic antifreeze". It is used as an antifreeze where ethylene glycol would be
inappropriate, such as in food processing systems or in household plumbing, as well as in
many other facilities. It is also used in the food industry, medicines and cosmetics, often as
a binder. Propylene glycol is Fig. 4 is "generally recognized as safe" by the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) for use in food. However, propylene glycol based antifreeze should
not be considered safe for consumption. In case of accidental ingestion, emergency
medical services must be contacted immediately.

Propylene glycol oxidizes under the influence of air

and heat. When this happens, lactic acid is
produced.[5] If not properly inhibited, this fluid can be
very corrosive. Protodin is added to propylene glycol to
act as a buffer to prevent the low pH from affecting
systemic metals. It forms a protective layer inside the
tank and pipes to help prevent the corrosive action of acid. In addition to the failure of the
cooling system, biological pollution also occurs. Once the bacterial slime is triggered, the
corrosion rate of the system will increase. In systems where the glycol solution is
maintained continuously, regular monitoring of freeze protection, pH, specific gravity,
inhibitor levels, color and biological contamination should be performed regularly.
Propylene glycol should be replaced when it turns red

FUNCTION OF ANTIFREEZE

Engine antifreeze and additives for car coolers are intended for:

Reduce cooling system corrosion

Every automotive cooling system will eventually corrode, but this mixture of antifreeze and
additive will slow down the overall corrosion process, extending the life of the cooling
system.

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Reduce cavitation
In large diesel engines, air or small bubbles in the coolant can cause serious problems or
cause the engine to overheat. So for diesel vehicles, it is strongly recommended to use a
cavitation-reducing engine coolant.

Balance the acidity of the engine coolant

The more acidic the engine coolant, the faster it can corrode and damage the car's cooling
system and radiator.

Increase the boiling point of the engine coolant

A higher boiling point means the coolant can cool down better when the engine heats up. It
also reduces the possibility of head gasket cracking.

TESTING SETUP OF AUTOMOTIVE RADIATOR

When evaluating the performance of the radiator, a test device is prepared according to the
test diagram in Fig. 5 and the test model in Fig. 6, where a radiator, fan, flowmeter, heating
element, pump, two thermocouples, digital meters are used to convert thermal emf into
digital form.

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The various components used are described below.

Reservoir with heating element: In the test apparatus, hot water acting as a cooling liquid
taking heat from the engine block is provided by means of a heating element fixed in the
reservoir. In this vessel, the water is heated to a range of 65-75°C

Pump: A water pump uses centrifugal force to send fluid outward as it rotates, causing
fluid to be continuously drawn in from the center. The pump inlet is located near the center
so that the liquid returning from the cooler hits the pump vanes. The pump vanes divert
the liquid to the outside of the pump. The flow rate is then measured using a flow meter.

Rotameter: A rotameter is a flowmeter with a constant pressure drop and a variable area.
It consists of a conical measuring glass tube, inside which the rotor or active element (float)
of the meter is placed. The tube is equipped with inlet and outlet connections. The specific
gravity of the float or bean material is greater than the specific gravity of the liquid to be
measured. Spherical slots are cut into the float section to cause the float to rotate slowly
around the axis of the tube, keeping it centered. Thanks to this centrifugation, the
accumulation of possible sediments on the upper sides of the float is controlled. However,
the stability of the bob can also be ensured using a guide along which the float is slightly
wound. When the flow rate increases, the float rises in the tube and consequently the
annular area between the float and the tube increases. So the float travels higher or lower
depending on the flow rate.

Thermocouples: The most common electrical method of measuring temperature uses a

thermocouple. It is based on the reverse effect i.e. when two different metals are joined
they form two junctions and if these junctions are kept at different temperatures than an
emf is produced and this emf depends on the temperature difference. Therefore in
thermocouple emf plays a thermometric property, the property which helps in holding to
find out the temperature is named as thermometric property.

Radiator: A radiator is a type of heat exchanger in which the coolant loses heat through
convection and conduction phenomenon that occurs in the radiator tubes. The radiator is
generally made of aluminum metal due to its light weight and high thermal conductivity.

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Fan: A fan is installed just behind the radiator to increase the cooling capacity of the
radiator. When the temperature of the coolant increases due to constant acceleration, the
fan starts and draws air through the fins of the radiator. This fan is controlled by the ECU
(Engine Control Unit). The device runs a fan continuously to create the effect of a moving
vehicle.

Coolant Bottle: Here, the coolant bottle performs an important function of controlling the
coolant from overflowing. When the fluid in the cooling system heats up, it expands and
causes a pressure increase. The cap is the only place this pressure can escape, so the
spring setting on the cap determines the maximum pressure in the cooling system. The cap
is actually a relief valve and is usually set to 15 psi on cars. When the pressure reaches 15
psi, the pressure pushes the valve open, allowing coolant to escape from the cooling
system. This coolant flows through the overflow pipe into the coolant bottle. This
arrangement keeps air out of the system. When the radiator cools down again, a vacuum is
created in the cooling system, which opens another spring-loaded valve and draws water
back from the coolant bottle to replace the water that was forced out.

TESTING PROCEDURE

In the test facility, a heating element will act as a heat source, which will work just like an
engine in a car. This heater will heat the coolant to a temperature range of 80OC - 120OC.
After heating, the hot water is pumped into the radiator using a pump. A rotameter is
installed at the pump outlet to measure the mass flow of hot coolant. The flow to the
rotameter is controlled by a control valve which helps in obtaining a different mass flow
rate of the hot coolant.

The inlet temperature to the radiator is then calculated by installing one thermocouple at
the inlet and is digitized by one digital meter. The warm water then flows through the
radiator core. Here, cold air is drawn in with the help of a fan, which helps to reduce the
temperature of the coolant flowing through the radiator. Then the outlet temperature is
measured with a second thermocouple. After that, the coolant from the outlet returns to
the reservoir, where it is heated again by the heating element and recirculated in the flow
circuit in order to maintain the continuity of the flow. During testing, water is first used as
the coolant. It circulates at a mass flow rate of 5 LPM (liters per minute). The fan rotates at a

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speed of 6000 rpm. The temperature of the hot coolant at the outlet is then recorded at
specific coolant inlet temperatures. These readings are read twice, first by turning the fan
to 6000 rpm and second by stopping the fan. After this first round of data logging, the
coolant is changed. This time the water is replaced with a mixture containing 60%
propylene glycol and 40% water. Here the mass flow is kept at the same level as before and
the fan also circulates at the same speed of 6000 rpm. The inlet hot coolant temperature is
also maintained at the previous values ​and the corresponding hot coolant outlet
temperature values ​are recorded. After processing this initial data record, the mass flow
rate is varied by maintaining the inlet hot coolant temperature at 80°C. Various mass flow
rates include values ​from 5.0 LPM, 5.5 LPM, 6.0 LPM to 8.5 LPM. At these changing mass
flow rates, the corresponding values ​of the outlet temperature of the hot coolant are
recorded. The above figures are read with water and also with a mixture of 60% propylene
glycol and 40% water one after the other acting as coolants.

ASSUMPTIONS

The obtained results are based on the following assumptions:

a) The velocity and temperature at the inlet to the cooler core on both the air and coolant
sides are uniform.

b) No phase changes (condensation or boiling) occur in all fluid streams.

c) The fluid flow is evenly distributed through the core in each passage on each side of the
fluid. There is no stratification, flow bypass, or flow leakage in any flow. The state of flow is
characterized by the volume velocity in any cross-section.

d) The temperature of each fluid is uniform at each cross-section of the flow, so that a
single bulk temperature applies to each flow in a given cross-section.

e) The heat transfer coefficient between the fluid and the pipe material is uniform on the
inner and outer surface of the pipe for a constant mass flow rate of the fluid.

f) For an extended radiator fin, the surface efficiency is assumed to be uniform and
constant.

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g) The heat transfer surface is evenly distributed on each side

h) Both the internal dimension and the external dimension of the pipe are considered
constant.

i) The thermal conductivity of the pipe material is constant in the axial direction.

j) There is no internal source for the production of thermal energy.

k) There is no heat loss or gain outside the radiator and no axial heat conduction in the
radiator.

l) Heat conduction parallel to the flow direction of the wall and the liquid is equal to zero.

m) Humidity is 71%.

n) Wind speed is 4 km/h.

o) The room temperature is 30 °C.

MATHEMATICAL RELATIONS

In the test the following mathematical equation has been used.

𝐴𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝐻𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑇𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑠𝑓𝑒𝑟

Effectiveness of radiator (ϵ) = 𝑀𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝐻𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑇𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑠𝑓𝑒𝑟

𝑀𝑐𝐶𝑝𝑐 (𝑡𝑐𝑖−𝑡𝑐𝑜)
= 𝑀𝑎𝐶𝑝𝑎(𝑡𝑐𝑖/𝑡𝑎𝑖)

1 3 1000
At 1 LPM Mc = 𝑚 /𝑠 = (for water)
1000𝑥60 1000𝑥60

1062
= 1000𝑥60
kg/s (for water + propylene glycol)

Cpc = 4.18 kJ/kg K (for water) = 3.39 kJ/kg K (for 40% water + 60%propylene glycol)

Cpa = 1.005 kJ/kg K ma = 1.49 kg/sc

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The radiator fan rotates with 6000 rpm and its radius is 14 cm and effective pitch is 8 inches
and it has 2735.28 CFM (cubic feet per minute)

3 3 3 3
(1𝑓𝑡) (1𝑓𝑡) (0.3048𝑚) 1𝑚𝑖𝑛 0.3048 𝑚
1 CFM =
1 𝑚𝑖𝑛
=
1 𝑚𝑖𝑛
x 1 𝑚𝑖𝑛
x 60𝑠
= 60𝑠
= 4.79 x 10−4 𝑚3𝑠−1

Influence of Coolant Mass Flow

A graph is plotted showing the change in efficiency and cooling capacity by changing the
coolant flow rate. Coolant flow was plotted on the X-axis, and efficiency and cooling
capacity were plotted on the primary and secondary Y-axes. The inlet coolant temperature
was maintained at 80°C. From the plotted graphs, it can be seen that the efficiency and
cooling capacity of the cooler is directly related to the flow rate of the cooling liquid. As the
value of inlet cooling flow increases, the value of efficiency and cooling power increases
accordingly. One thing to note is that the water graph is above the graph when a mixture
was used as the coolant. This is because the specific heat capacity of water is much greater
than that of the mixture. Therefore, if an increase in the cooling capacity of the mixture is
required, then its mass flow rate must be increased. The same is true with the efficiency
versus coolant mass flow rate graph.

Influence of coolant inlet temperature

The following graphs plot the change in cooling capacity and hot coolant outlet
temperature versus hot coolant inlet temperature. On the X-axis, the hot coolant inlet
temperature is drawn. Cooling capacity and outlet temperature are plotted on the primary
and secondary Y axes. The first graph is plotted when the fan is rotating at 6000 rpm. and

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the second graph is plotted assuming it is stationary. After observing the first graph, it is
found that as the inlet temperature of the coolant increases, the cooling capacity of the
cooler increases. Also, with an increase in the inlet temperature of the coolant, the
temperature range of operation increases rapidly, i.e. at higher temperature ranges of
operation, the difference between the inlet and outlet temperature of the coolant increases
rapidly. This happens because heat transfer between the surroundings and the surface of
the radiator takes place by two phenomena, one is conduction and the other is convection.
In both of these processes, the heat transfer is directly proportional to the temperature
difference, i.e. the higher the temperature difference between the two media, the higher
the heat transfer will be. The second graph was plotted assuming the fan was stationary. As
expected, as the value of coolant inlet temperature increases, the cooling capacity of the
cooler increases. This is because the specific heat capacity of water is much greater than
that of the mixture. This fact can also be seen from the sharp difference in the reading at
the corresponding values ​of the coolant inlet temperature. In the case of fluctuating outlet
temperature with coolant inlet temperature, there is not that much of a difference, as the
effect of forced convection is negligible. So both graphs are almost identical.

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SUMMARY

In this study, a complete set of numerical parametric studies of an automotive radiator is

presented in detail. The modeling of the radiator was described by two methods, one is the
finite difference method and the other is the thermal resistance concept. A series of
detailed literary surveys

recommendations were provided for the development of a more efficient and compact
radiator. All these recommendations are presented in the future scope section. These
recommendations require changes from the range of geometric parameters to the range of
coolant composition. In chiller performance evaluation, the chiller is installed in a test rig
and various parameters including coolant mass flow rate, coolant inlet temperature, etc.
are varied. After that, the corresponding efficiency value and coolant outlet temperature
will be reversed. These values ​are then plotted in 3-axis graphs and their behavior is
studied. A comparative analysis between different coolants was also demonstrated during
testing. Here, one of the coolants is used as water and the other as a 40:60 mixture of
water in propylene glycol. Here you can see the big difference in the cooling capacity of the
radiator as the flowing coolant changes from water to a mixture. This is due to the very
high value of the specific heat of water compared to the mixture. So it can be concluded
that water is still the best coolant, but its limitations are that it is corrosive and contains
dissolved salts that deteriorate the coolant flow channel. Blending it with ethylene glycol
lowers its specific heat but improves its other properties. It also raises the boiling point of
water and also lowers the freezing point. But if the mixture is to be as effective as water, its
mass flow rate should be increased. All formulas used in the calculation are given in the
test results and discussion. Based on the study, it is concluded that:

Cooling capacity and efficiency are directly proportional to the inlet temperature of the hot
coolant, i.e. as the inlet temperature of the coolant increases, the cooling capacity and
efficiency of the cooler increases.

Cooling capacity and efficiency are also directly related to the mass flow rate of the
refrigerant.

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All these results were calculated at a fan speed of 6000 rpm. During our testing, we
measured the maximum liquid inlet temperature at 80°C. Efficiency values ​are therefore
lower at this low temperature. While in reality the temperature of the coolant entering the
cooler is much higher than what was experimented with.

REFERENCES
● Performance Analysis of Automobile Radiator by P. S. Kishore, Professor
Department of mechanical engineering Andhra university college of engineering
Visakhapatnam, India
● Experimental study on heat transfer of an engine radiator with Ti O2/ EG‑water
nano‑coolant by Mohd Muzammil Zubair1 · Md. Seraj2 · Mohd. Faizan1 · Mohd
Anas2 · Syed Mohd. Yahya1
● Investigation of cooling performance of automobile radiator with water based
TiO2nanofluid RajratnaGavhane , Vishal Amrit , Saurabh Sonawane , Ganesh Dude
Department Of Mechanical Engineering , S.K.N College of Engineering
,SavitribaiPhule Pune University,Pune
● Review of Problems of Heat Transfer in Car Radiator and Suggested Solutions
1Virendra R. Patil, 2 Samip S. Patil, 3Vishal Kumbhar, 4KishoreKolhe 1,2,3PG Scholar,
PG Scholar,4Head of PG coordinator of Heat Power Department of Mechanical
Engineering 1,4 Imperial College of Engineering and Research, Pune, 2VIT, Pune,
India, 3RIT, Sakharale, India
● DESIGN AND MATERIAL SELECTION OF AN AUTOMOBILE RADIATOR Ram Jatan Yadav
Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, JIMS Engineering
Management Technical Campus, Greater Noida (U.P), INDIA
● Experimental Investigation of Heat Transfer Characteristics of Automobile Radiator
using Tio2 Nanofluid Coolant Vijaya Kumar. M1 , Mahendra G2 1Research Scholar,
Department of Mechanical Engineering Sathyabama University, Chennai-600119,
Tamil Nadu 2Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IFET College of
Engineering, Villupuram-605108, Tamil Nadu, India
● Study on Performance Evaluation of Automotive Radiator JP Yadav1* and Bharat Raj
Singh2

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