COOLING SYSTEMS

INTRODUCTION
• Aircraft engines are designed to convert heat energy into
mechanical energy. However, in doing this, only about
one-third of the heat produced is converted. The remaining
two-thirds of the heat energy is wasted and must be removed
from an engine. Therefore, cooling systems are designed to
remove the unused heat energy produced by combustion and
allow an engine to operate at its peak efficiency.
 COOLING SYSTEMS

INTRODUCTION
• approximately 30 percent is converted to useful work
• Approximately 40 to 45 percent is expelled through the exhaust.
• Approximately 25 to 30 percent is absorbed by the oil and metal mass of
the engine.
• this heat that is removed by an aircraft's cooling system.
• engine performance suffers due to a decrease in volumetric
efficiency and the adverse effect heat has on the fuel/air mixture.
• excessive heat shortens the life of engine parts and reduces the
ability of the oil to lubricate.
• The two most commonly used methods of cooling an engine include
direct air cooling and liquid cooling.
 AIR COOLING
• Almost all modern aircraft engines are air cooled.
• Engine must have a great deal of surface area that readily
gives up heat.
• all air cooled engines utilize cooling fins that are either cast or
machined into the exterior surfaces of the cylinder barrels and
heads.
• fins provide a very large surface area for transferring heat to
the surrounding airflow.
• Additional cooling is sometimes provided by fins that are cast
into the underside of pistons.
• additional surface area permits a greater amount of heat to
be transferred to the engine oil.
 AIR COOLING
• cylinder fins on early engines were relatively thick and shallow
and provided little surface area for cooling.
• design progressed and techniques of casting and machining
improved, fin design evolved to produce deeper and thinner
fins.
• Today, aircraft engines use steel cylinder barrels that have fins
machined directly onto their surface.
• barrels are screwed into aluminum cylinder heads with fins
that are cast with the head.
• exhaust valve region is typically the hottest part of a cylinder,
more fin area is provided around the exhaust port.
• intake portion of a cylinder head typically has few cooling fins
because the fuel/air mixture cools this area sufficiently.
AIR COOLING
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COWLINGS
• Removable covering of a vehicle’s engine
• Used to reduce drag and to cool the engine
• Directs cool air to flow through the engine
• Undesired side effect of air cooling is penalty emposed by
increased drag.
• Early aircraft cruised at speeds where drag was of little
concern,
• Drag problem became unacceptable once aircraft
development achieved airspeeds over 120 miles per hour.
 AIR COOLING

COWLINGS -RADIAL ENGINE COWLING

•TOWNEND RING
• reduce drag on aircraft equipped with radial engines
• is an airfoil shaped ring that is installed around the
circumference of a radial engine.
• produces an aerodynamic force that smooths the airflow
around the engine and improves the uniformity of air
flowing around each cylinder.
• can reduce drag by as much as 11 percent on some
aircraft.
AIR COOLING
 AIR COOLING

COWLINGS -RADIAL ENGINE COWLING

• NACA COWLING
• NEW AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE DESIGNS PRODUCED HIGHER
CRUISING SPEEDS
• DEVELOPED IN THE EARLY 1930’S
• streamlined cowling completely covers all portions of a
radial engine and extends all the way back to the fuselage.
• have an airfoil shape that actually produces thrust by
converting the incoming air into a solid jet blast as it leaves
the cowling.
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OPPOSED ENGINE COWLING

• cylinders on early horizontally opposed engines stuck out into
the airstream to receive cooling air.
• a thin sheet metal hood had to be installed on each side of
the engine to force air down between the cylinder fins.
AIR COOLING
 AIR COOLING

COWLING - OPPOSED ENGINE COWLING

• modern reciprocating engine encloses the entire engine.
• cooling air enters through two forward facing openings and
exits out one or more openings in the bottom rear of the cowl.
• rest of the cowling is sealed with rubberized strips to prevent
excessive air leakage.
• Because of the ram effect produced by forward motion and
propwash, cooling air enters a cowling at a pressure above
ambient
• This produces what is know as pressure cooling.
 AIR COOLING

COWLING - OPPOSED ENGINE COWLING

• outlet on most lower cowls is flared so that when outside air
flows past the opening, an area of low pressure is created in
the bottom of the cowling.
• low pressure area draws inlet air down through the cylinders
and into the lower cowl where it can exit the cowling.
AIR COOLING
 AIR COOLING

BAFFLES AND DEFLECTORS

• Only 15 to 30 percent of the total ram airflow approaching an airborne
engine cowling actually enters the cowling to provide engine cooling.
• additional baffles and deflectors must be installed to maximize the
effectiveness of the airflow.
• Baffles and deflectors are basically sheet metal panels which block and
redirect airflow to provide effective cooling.
• installed between the cowling and engine, as well as between the
engine cylinders.
• The baffles installed between the engine and cowling effectively divide
the cowling into two separate compartments.
 AIR COOLING

BAFFLES AND DEFLECTORS

• when air enters the upper cowl, it has no choice but to flow
around the cylinders and into the lower cowl.
• the primary purpose of the baffles installed between the
cylinders is to force cooling air into contact with all parts of a
cylinder.
• baffles are sometimes referred to as inter-cylinder baffles or
pressure baffles.
 AIR COOLING

Cooling air is directed

between the
cylinders of a
horizontally opposed
aircraft engine by a
series of baffles and
seals.
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 AIR COOLING
COWL FLAPS
• amount of cooling air that flows into the cowling is controlled
through the use of cowl flaps.
• hinged doors that are installed at the bottom rear of the
cowling where the cooling air exits.
• cowl flaps are open, a stronger low pressure area is created in
the lower cowl and more air is pulled through the cylinders.
• cowl flaps are closed, the low pressure area becomes weaker
and less cooling air is drawn between the cylinders.
• position of the cowl flaps is controlled from the cockpit and
are typically operated manually, electrically, or hydraulically.
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Cowl flaps
• typically in the full open position during all ground operations.
• while operating on the ground, airflow through the cowling
is greatly reduced.
• once an aircraft is established in level flight, more air is forced
into the cowling.
• This allows the cowl flaps to be closed so that the drag
produced by the cowl flaps can be eliminated.
 AIR COOLING
AUGMENTOR SYSTEMS
• may be used on some aircraft to augment, or increase, the airflow
through the cylinders.
• Like cowl flaps, augmenter tubes create a low pressure area at the lower
rear of the cowling in order to increase the airflow through the cylinder
cooling fins.
• exhaust gases from the engine are routed into a collector and
discharged into the inlet of a stainless steel augmenter tube.
• The flow of high-velocity exhaust gases creates an area of low pressure
at the inlet of the augmenter tube and draws air from above the engine
through the cylinder fins.
• The combination of exhaust gases and cooling air exits at the rear of the
augmenter tube.
 AIR COOLING
Some reciprocating
engines use augmenter
tubes to improve engine
cooling. As exhaust
gases flow from each
exhaust collector into an
augmenter tube, an
area of low pressure is
created which draws
additional cooling air
over the engine
cylinders.
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 AIR COOLING

BLAST TUBES
• direct cooling air into inaccessible areas of an engine
compartment.
• basically a small pipe or duct that channels air from the main
cooling airstream onto heat-sensitive components.
• Engine accessories such as magnetos, alternators, and
generators are often cooled using blast tubes.
• typically built into the baffles and are an integral part of the
baffle structure.
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HELICOPTER COOLING SYSTEMS

• Helicopters present unique problems when it comes to cooling an
engine.
• engines generally operate at a high rpm for prolonged periods of time
and, therefore, produce more heat.
• typically fly at much slower airspeeds than fixed-wing aircraft and do
not benefit from ram airflow.
• downwash from the main rotor is insufficient to cool an engine
• alternate method of engine cooling is required
• The most commonly used auxiliary engine cooling system in helicopters
is a large belt-driven cooling fan.
 AIR COOLING

HELICOPTER COOLING SYSTEMS

• As an example of a helicopter cooling fan assembly,
consider the Bell 47 helicopter.
• The cooling fan is mounted on the front side of the engine
and is driven by the transmission fan quill assembly through
two matched V-belts.
• The 1.2:1 quill gear ratio turns the fan at a higher speed than
the engine in order to distribute an adequate supply of
cooling air to the engine.
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 LIQUID-COOLING

• constructed with a metal water jacket that surrounds the

cylinders.
• As coolant circulates in the water jacket, heat passes from the
cylinder walls and heads to the coolant.
• A coolant pump circulates the coolant in a pressurized loop
from the water jacket to a radiator, where heat is transferred
from the coolant to the air.
• To allow for higher engine temperatures and a smaller
radiator, many liquid-cooled systems are pressurized.
 LIQUID-COOLING
• Although liquid-cooled engines have been the standard for
automotive and industrial engines for years, they have had
limited success in aircraft.
• Early aircraft engine designs used liquid cooling; however,
new air-cooled engine designs became the standard for
several reasons.
• The primary reason for this is that the need for a radiator, water
jacket, coolant, and other associated hoses and lines added
a substantial amount of weight.
• In addition, air-cooled engines are not hampered by
cold-weather operations as severely as liquid-cooled engines.
 LIQUID-COOLING
TEMPERATURE INDICATING SYSTEMS
• most reciprocating engine powered aircraft are equipped with a
cylinder head temperature (CHT) gauge that allows you to monitor
engine temperatures.
• Most cylinder head temperature gauges are galvanometer-type meters
that display temperatures in degrees Fahrenheit.
• a galvanometer measures the amount of electrical current produced
by a thermocouple
• A thermocouple is a circuit consisting of two dissimilar metal wires
connected together at two junctions to form a loop.
• Anytime a temperature difference exists between the two junctions, a
small electrical current is generated that is proportional to the
temperature difference and measurable by the galvanometer.
 LIQUID-COOLING

• The two junctions of a thermocouple circuit are commonly

referred to as a hot junction and a cold junction.
• The hot junction is installed in the cylinder head in one of two
ways; the two dissimilar wires may be joined inside a bayonet
probe which is then inserted into a special well in the top or
rear of the hottest cylinder, or the wires may be imbedded in a
special copper spark plug gasket.
• The cold junction, or reference junction, on the other hand, is
typically located in the instrument case.
 LIQUID-COOLING

• Thermocouple instrument systems are polarized and extremely

sensitive to resistance changes within their electrical circuits.
• several precautions must be observed when replacing or
repairing them.
• observe all color-coding and polarity markings because
accidentally reversing the wires causes the meter to move
off-scale on the zero side.
• ensure that all electrical connections are clean and torqued to
the correct value.
 LIQUID-COOLING

• Thermocouple wiring leads are typically supplied in matched

pairs and secured together by a common braid.
• Furthermore, the leads are a specified length, matched to the
system to provide accurate temperature indications. The
length of the leads cannot be altered because doing so
changes their resistance.
• In some cases, the wiring leads are permanently attached to a
thermocouple, necessitating the replacement of the entire
wiring harness and thermocouple if a wire breaks or becomes
damaged.
 LIQUID-COOLING

• Simple CHT systems use a single indicator that monitors the

hottest cylinder.
• With this type of system, overall engine temperature must be
interpreted in a general way.
• There are, however, more complex systems which monitor
each cylinder and can be set to warn you when a cylinder
approaches its maximum temperature limit.
 LIQUID-COOLING

INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE

• All cooling system components should be inspected during a
100-hour or annual inspection.
• In addition, once a thorough visual inspection is complete, it
should be followed up with all necessary repairs or
replacements.
• Some of the components that are typically inspected include
the cowling, cylinder fins, baffling, and cowl flaps.
 LIQUID-COOLING

INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE

COWLING
• only 15 to 30 percent of the total ram airflow enters the
cowling.
• the aerodynamic shape of a cowling must be clean and
smooth to reduce drag and energy loss.
• This smoothness must be considered when accomplishing any
repairs to a cowling or adjusting alignment of cowl panels and
access doors.
 LIQUID-COOLING
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
COWLING
• Cowl panels must be visually inspected for dents, tears, and
cracks.
• damage causes weakness in the panel structure and
increases drag by disrupting the airflow.
• accumulations of dents and tears can lead to cracking and
contribute to corrosion.
• Internal construction of cowl panels should be examined
closely to ensure that the reinforcing ribs are not cracked
and that the air seal is not damaged.
 LIQUID-COOLING
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
COWLING
• The cowl panel latches should be inspected for missing rivets
and loose or damaged handles.
• you should check the safety locks for damaged rivets and
the condition of the safety spring.
• Examine all support brackets carefully to verify the security of
mounting and repair any cracks found in accordance with
the manufacturer's instructions.
• Early detection of breaks and cracks provide an opportunity
to limit the damage and extend the service life of a cowling.
 LIQUID-COOLING
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
CYLINDER COOLING FINS
• cooling fins plays a large role in their effectiveness and ability to provide
adequate cylinder cooling
• cylinder cooling fins must be checked during each regular inspection.
• The cooling fins on an engine are designed with a precise surface area
to dissipate a certain amount of heat.
• when cooling fins are broken off a cylinder, less fin area is available for
cooling. An engine's fin area is the total area (both sides of the fin)
exposed to die air.
• Anytime an excessive amount of fin area is missing, the formation of hot
spots can occur on the cylinder.
 LIQUID-COOLING

INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE

CYLINDER COOLING FINS
• The amount of fin damage permitted on a given cylinder is
based on a percentage of the total fin area and is
established by the manufacturer.

• when performing repairs to a cylinder's cooling fins, the

engine manufacturer's service or overhaul manual should be
consulted to ensure the repair is within limits.
 LIQUID-COOLING

INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE

CYLINDER COOLING FINS
• cracks in cooling fins which do not extend into the cylinder
head may be repaired.
• A typical repair requires you to remove the damaged portion
of the fin with a die grinder and rotary file.
• After removing the damage, finish file the sharp edges to a
smooth contour.
• The percentage of total fin area that is removed must not
exceed the limits established by the manufacturer.
 LIQUID-COOLING
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
CYLINDER COOLING FINS
• Cracks at the edge of a fin may be filed or stop drilled to
prevent the crack from lengthening.
• any rough or sharp edges produced by broken fins may be
filed to a smooth contour if damage and/or repair limits are
not exceeded.
• If a cooling fin is inadvertently bent on an aluminum cylinder
head and no crack forms, the fin should be left alone.
• The reason for this is that aluminum cooling fins are very
brittle and any attempt to straighten them could cause them
to crack or break.
 LIQUID-COOLING

INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE

BAFFLES AND DEFLECTORS
• defects in cylinder baffles and deflectors must be followed up
with repairs to prevent loss of cooling efficiency.
• Since baffles are subject to constant vibration,
work-hardening of the metal occurs considerably faster than
on other components.
• Work-hardening can make engine baffles extremely brittle
which increases the likelihood of fatigue cracking.
 LIQUID-COOLING

INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE

BAFFLES AND DEFLECTORS
• Using an inspection mirror and light, examine the baffles,
deflectors, and shrouds for cracks, bent sections, dents, and
loose attachment hardware
• Small cracks that are just beginning can be stop-drilled and
small dents can be straightened.
• These types of repairs extend the service life of baffles by
slowing their deterioration.
 LIQUID-COOLING
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
BAFFLES AND DEFLECTORS
• When installing the cowling, take care to avoid damaging the
air seals on the inter-cylinder baffles and the aft vertical
baffle.
• These air seals are typically made from plastic, rubber, or
leather strips and must be oriented to point in the direction
shown in the manufacturer's service manual.
• Damaged air seals and improperly installed or loose baffles
can cause cylinder hot spots to develop.
• If burned paint is found on a cylinder during the inspection, it
could be evidence of a local hot spot.
 LIQUID-COOLING
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
COWL FLAPS
• Inspect the cowl flaps visually for security of mounting and for
signs of cracking.
• operate the cowl flaps to verify the condition of the hinges
and operating mechanism.
• If the cowl flaps were removed for maintenance, you must
adjust them properly during reinstallation.
• Proper adjustment helps ensure the correct tolerances for the
"open" and "closed" positions.
 LIQUID-COOLING
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
COWL FLAPS
• the correct tolerance in both positions is of the utmost
importance for maintaining correct cylinder head
temperatures.
• cowl flaps which open too far will allow too much cooling air
to be drawn through the engine resulting in insufficient engine
temperatures.
• cowl flaps which do not open far enough can cause cylinder
head temperatures to exceed the specified limits for a given
operating condition.