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COOLING SYSTEM OF ICE ENGINES-Introduction
Combustion generates a great deal of heat, and some of this transfers to the walls of the engine. Failure will
occur if the body of the engine is allowed to reach too high a temperature, either the engine will physically
fail, or any lubricants used will degrade to the point that they no longer protect the engine.

A well maintained cooling system is required for satisfactory engine performance and reliability. The cooling
system must be maintained on a regular basis to prevent overheating , cavitations, corrosion, scale and
gelation.

 An estimated 40 % of engine maintenance or break down is related directly or indirectly to

cooling system maintenance.
 Over 50% of engine failures can be attributed to cooling system failures.
 Over 60% of water pump failures are caused by preventable seal leakage.

NECESSITY OF ENGINE COOLING

In an I.C. engine, the temperature of the gases inside the engine cylinder may vary from 35°C or less to as
high as 2750°C during the cycle.

If an engine is allowed to run without external cooling, the cylinder walls, cylinder and pistons will tend to
assume the average temperature of the gases to which they are exposed, which may be of the order of 1000
to 1500°C. Obviously at such high temperature; the metals will loose their characteristics and piston will
expand considerably and sieze the liner.

Of course theoretically thermal efficiency of the engine will improve without cooling but actually the engine
will sieze to run.

If the cylinder wall temperature is allowed to rise above a certain limit, about 65°C, the lubricating oil will
begin to evaporate rapidly and both cylinder and piston may be damaged.

Also high temperature may cause excessive stress in some parts rendering them useless for further
operation. In view of this, part of the heat generated inside the engine cylinder is allowed to be carried away
by the cooling system.

Thus cooling system is provided on an engine for the following reasons:

 The even expansion of piston in the cylinder may result in seizure of the piston.

 High temperatures reduce strength of piston and cylinder liner.

 Overheated cylinder may lead to pre-ignition of the charge, in case of spark ignition engines

 Physical and chemical changes may occur in lubricating oil which may cause sticking of piston rings
and excessive wear of cylinder

 If the cylinder head temperature is high the volumetric efficiency and hence the power output of the
engine is reduced.

Thus engine cooling is required to keep the temperature of the engine low in order to avoid:

 Engine seizure
 Danger of engine failure
 Loss of volumetric efficiency and hence power

NOTE:-
 Almost 25 to 35 percent of total heat supplied in the fuel is removed by the cooling medium.
 Heat carried away by lubricating oil and heat lost by radiation amounts to 3 to 5 per cent of the total
heat supplied.
 It must be noted that heat carried away by the coolant is a dead loss because not only no useful work
can be obtained from it but a part of the engine power is also used to remove this heat.
 Hence, it is of paramount importance that this loss is kept minimum by the designer.
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Cooling System Requirements:

 Remove excess heat from an engines metal parts, lubricating oil and in some cases the excess heat
from intake air in the instance of intercoolers.
 Raise engine coolant temperature quickly to keep engine component wear to a minimum. An
engines machined parts running tolerances require the maintenance of consistent operating
temperatures .
 Cooling systems must provide for coolant expansion and an outlet for coolant to escape.
 Cooling systems must provide for de-aeration of coolant to prevent pumps from becoming air bound
and provide proper heat transfer
 Minimize electrochemical reactions between various engine metals and electrical pathways through
the engine coolant
 Minimize scaling and depositing within the engine coolant passageways
 Should protect from freezing and boiling.

Disadvantages of overcooling & under cooling

Engine should be cooled within a particular temperature limits. It should not be too cooled or too heated up.
Getting the engine too much cooled is called overcooling. And if the engine is over heated it is to under cool.

Overcooling of the engine is harmful because of the following reasons:

 At very low temperature, starting of engine becomes difficult.

 Due to overcooling, engine life is reduced due to corrosion.
 If the engine is overcooled some of the heat which could be used to expand the gases will be lost.
 The fuel will not vaporise properly and some of the gases produced by combustion will condense on
the cylinder walls. Removal of the oil film from the cylinder wall by unvaporised fuel leads to increased
cylinder bore wear.
 Inadequate lubrication of the engine, due to oil not being warm enough to flow freely, results in
greater frictional losses.

In general, due to overcooling the economy and life of the engine is reduced.

The following are the disadvantages of undercooling :

 Undercooling can cause engine seizure, or at least-shorten valve life and possible distortion of the
cylinder block head or gasket.

 A hot-spot inside the combustion chamber may be sufficient to cause pre-ignition, i.e. to ignite the
fuel before the spark plug does, thus causing loss of power and possible damage to the engine
components.

 Water in cooling system may boil and evaporate, and should the oil film burn away additional friction
and wear will occur between cylinder and piston.

Note:-Over cooling is generally caused by a thermostat that opens

too early or remain open at all times. In some cases, it is observed
that there is no thermostat employed or missing. If By-Pass valve
remain open at all time, it results the over cooling of water.

TYPES OF COOLING SYSTEMS

Most small capacity internal combustion are cooled using

either air or a liquid coolant run through a heat exchanger called
radiator, cooled by air.

Marine engines and some stationary engines have ready access to

a large volume of water at a suitable temperature. The water may
be used directly to cool the engine, but often has sediment, which
can clog coolant passages, or chemicals, such as salt, that can
chemically damage the engine. Thus, engine coolant may be run
through a heat exchanger that is cooled by water.
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1). Air Cooling System:-

In this system heat is carried away by the air flowing over and around the cylinder.
Fins are cast in the cylinder head and cylinder barrel which provide additional conductive and radiating
surface. The fins are arranged at right angles to cylinder axis. The number and dimensions should be
adequate to take care of the surplus heat dissipation.

Applications:-

Air cool system is employed in smaller engines whose application gives extreme importance to weight such
as aircraft engines.

Also the industrial and agricultural portable engines and small cycle and vehicle engines use this system of
cooling where liquid cooling is much inconvenient. In marine applications air cooled engines can be found in
driving very small generators, compressors or pumps which are very small and frequently employed for
emergency purposes.
Advantages :-
1. The design is simple as no water jackets and hence less complicated.
2. Cheaper to repair and replace damaged parts.
3. Makes the system simpler due to the absence of pipes, hoses, valves and radiators.
4. Not subjected to freezing as a water cooled engine.
5. Easy to install.
6. Easy to control.
7. Can run the engine even with a small damage.
8. Due to high cylinder temperature , less carbon deposits in the combustion chamber.

Disadvantages.:-
1. Noisy movement.
2. Non Uniform cooling.
3. Low output
4. Volumetric efficiency is low due to high cylinder temperature.

2). Liquid/Water cooling system:-

Water is the most efficient liquid to transfer heat. However, using water alone can cause component corrosion
and offers no protection against damage from freezing. Additionally, water contains minerals that produce
scale deposits on internal cooling system surfaces. Some operations may choose to use water only for
coolant but anti-corrosion additives are still required.

In this method of cooling engines , the cylinder walls and heads are provided with jackets through which the
cooling liquid can be circulated. The heat is transferred from cylinder walls/heads to the liquid by convection
and conduction. The liquid becomes heated in its passage through the jackets and is itself is cooled by means
of an air cooled radiator system or by means of a water cooled heat exchanger system.
The coolant to be employed in liquid cooling system should have the following characteristics.

1. Low freezing temperature

2. A high boiling point.
3. A large latent heat of vaporization.
4. Non- corrosive
5. Easily and cheaply available

Engine Coolant.

The most common coolant is water. Its high heat capacity and low cost makes it a suitable heat-transfer
medium. It is usually used with additives, like corrosion inhibitors and antifreezes. Antifreeze, a solution of a
suitable organic chemical (most often ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, or propylene glycol) in water, is
used when the water-based coolant has to withstand temperatures below 0 °C, or when its boiling point has
to be raised

A coolant is a fluid which flows through a device in order to prevent its overheating, transferring
the heat produced by the device to other devices that utilize or dissipate it. An ideal coolant has high
thermal capacity, low viscosity, is low-cost, and is chemically inert, neither causing nor promoting corrosion of
the cooling system.
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Thermostatically controlled Radiator cooling system:-

The figure shows systematic diagram of a thermostatically controlled cooling system. Also shown is a typical
thermostat.

Components:-
1. Water Jacket 2. Water Pump 3. Fan 4. Thermostat 5. Connecting Hoses 6. Radiators
7.Radiator Cap.

Water Jackets:- Annular spaces usually cast in engine parts, cylinder block and cylinder head in the
manufacturing process to make passage to circulate coolant and is named cooling water jackets.

Fan :-Fan is generally fitted behind the radiator. Usually being mounted on water pump shaft and induces a
flow of air through the radiator block. Usually this fan is driven by crankshaft through a drive belt in most of
the engines.

Radiator :- The purpose of the radiator is to cool the water received from the engine. The radiator is a heat
exchanger in which the water is cooled by the forced flow of atmospheric air around the pipes or tubes
carrying the water. The radiator consist of a upper and lower tanks. Between the tanks is the core which
divides the water in to thin streams . In passing through the core , the heat from the water is transferred to
the metal walls and to the air stream which is forced through the fan.

Thermostat. The Thermostat consist of bellows which are made of thin copper tubes, partially filled with a
volatile liquid like ether or methyl alcohol. The volatile liquid changes in to vapour at the correct working
temperature., thus creating enough pressure to expand the bellows.

The temperature at which the thermostat operates is set by the manufacturer and cannot be altered. The
movement of the bellows according to the varying engine temperature , opens or closes the valve thus
increasing or restricting the water flow through the valve, thus controlling the amount of water circulating
through the radiator core, thereby controlling the temperature of coolant water .At the start of the engine the
water is very cold and therefore the valve is kept closed and the water from the pump is sent through the
by-pass until the valve opens due to rise in temperature

Water pump :-In this system a centrifugal pump pressurize the coolant which is engine driven which may
directly coupled to the engine or may be belt driven by the engine.

Radiator Cap.:-
Radiator Caps have several functions. First they increase the pressure of the cooling system
to increase the boiling point of coolant. For every 1 psi increase in cooling system pressure the boiling point
increases 3 degrees Fahrenheit. This prevents coolant loss and boil over.
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Secondly, a vacuum valve
incorporated into the cap allows air or
coolant to renter the coolant system
when the pressure drops after the
engine cools.

This would prevent the upper radiator

hose collapse when cold and the loss
of coolant. (The lower radiator hose
has a spring inside to prevent collapse
during engine acceleration).

Cooling Systems of Marine

engines:-

There are three methods for water

cooled marine engines:

1. Direct (sea water cooling),

2. heat exchanger and
3. keel cooling.

Direct cooling of the cylinders and

heads by sea water is unsatisfactory,
because the engine - which was probably originally designed for radiator cooling - will run too cold and the
sea water will eventually ruin the cylinder block and heads.

Cooling systems provide full corrosion

protection, faster warm up, increased power,
less engine wear, more efficient fuel
consumption and longer valve and seat life,
due to the closed circuit pressure system.

Corrosion, scale rust and sand can clog

internal water passages to the point where
cooling systems fail to function properly,
causing serious damage to the engine.

Fresh water closed cooling system-left

A fresh water cooling system eliminates this

problem because raw contaminated water
never enters the engine block.

Direct (Sea) Raw Water Cooling Systems

Raw water cooling systems draw water from outside the boat (seawater or lake water). Water is pumped from
the source to the engine block then the engine circulation pump forces the raw water through the engine
block and the water is expelled through the exhaust.

Raw water cooling systems are relatively simple and the standard cooling system on most small Marine
Engines. The raw water pump in most cases is inside the outdrive.

On larger engines and inboard engines the raw water pump is located inside the boat and is driven by a v-belt
or directly off of the crankshaft.

Salt water can be highly corrosive. Running salt water through your engine block and exhaust manifolds will
lead to destructive corrosion that is unseen until your engine or exhaust manifolds fail.

Generally speaking, marine engines cooled with raw water, especially ones that use salt water, have a shorter
life span than marine engines cooled with a closed cooling system. Document preparation by Rohan Perera
 Document preparation by Rohan Perera
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Fresh Water Systems with Heat Exchangers and Keel Cooled systems

Heat Exchanger cooling system

Fresh water cooling systems, also
known as a closed cooling systems,
come in several varieties. The most
common type utilizes a Heat
Exchanger which functions similarly to
the radiator in your car. Coolant
(antifreeze) is circulated through one
side of the heat exchanger where it is
cooled by raw water that passes
through the other side of the heat
exchanger.

The engine coolant is then circulated

back into the engine.

The raw water is expelled out of the

boat through the exhaust.

Fresh Water Cooling System-above

Keel Cooling System

Another common type of closed cooling
systems is known as a Keel Cooler. This is
done by eliminating the use of a heat
exchanger.

Instead of pumping raw water into the

vessel’s heat exchanger where it cools the
coolant, the coolant is pumped through pipes
or aluminum extrusions on the outside of the
hull where the surrounding water (lake or
ocean water) cools the coolant before it is
pumped back into the engine.

Fresh water Cooling Systems using a

Keel Cooler-left

The use of keel coolers removes the need for a heat exchanger, raw
water pump and the other components necessary for pumping raw
water into the heat exchanger to.
Closed cooling systems are more complex than raw water cooling
systems, but have distinct advantages:
 Minimal internal engine corrosion.
 More effective at cooling the engine and allows you to run
your engine at higher temperatures, resulting in better engine
performance and fuel economy.

Heat Exchanger cooling system of Marine engines

A water cooling system for a slow-speed diesel engine is shown in Figure . It is divided into two separate
systems:
 one for cooling the cylinder jackets, cylinder heads and turbo-blowers;
 the other for piston cooling.

The cylinder jacket cooling water after leaving the engine passes to a sea-water-circulated cooler and then
into the jacket-water circulating pumps.

It is then pumped around the cylinder jackets, cylinder heads and turbo-blowers.
A header tank allows for expansion and water make-up in the system Document preparation by Rohan Perera
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Vents are led from the engine to the header tank for the release of air from the cooling water. A heater in
the circuit facilitates warming of the engine prior to starting by circulating hot water.

The piston cooling system employs similar components, except that a drain tank is used instead of a header
tank and the vents are then led to high points in the machinery space.

A separate piston cooling system is used to limit any contamination from piston cooling glands to the piston
cooling system only.

Expansion Tanks

Expansion tanks are an often overlooked but very important part of a closed cooling system. As the engine
coolant gets hot it expands, increasing in volume. The expansion tank is a small tank that simply provides
room for this increase in volume.

In some systems, the heat exchanger is a piggy back style. This is when the expansion tank is built on top of
the Heat Exchanger.

On some Heat Exchanger systems, the expansion tank is a separate tank remotely mounted. Most heat
Exchangers have a fitting built into the tank to install a Zink Anode.

This sacrificial anode protects the Heat Exchanger form galvanic corrosion commonly known as Electrolysis.

The Zinc should, be checked once a month to insure protection of the Heat Exchange and prevent pre-mature
failures.

Another important component to the Heat Exchanger is the cap on expansion tank similar to the cap on your
cars radiator.(The function of the cap is already described above).

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Types of Heat Exchanger Construction
Although heat exchangers come in every shape and size imaginable, the construction of most heat
exchangers fall into one of two categories: tube and shell, or plate type. As in all mechanical devices, each
type has its advantages and disadvantages.

Marine heat exchangers are the most common way to cool a vessel’s engine, using the lake, river or ocean
water in which the vessel floats. Since this water may be corrosive the engine may be cooled by a sealed
mixture of distilled water and antifreeze. Heat from the water-antifreeze mixture is then transferred to the
ocean (or lake or river) water which flows into a heat exchanger. The water-antifreeze mixture runs through
it dumping heat, but remaining separate from corrosive salts and chemicals found in the water the boat is
floating in. .To protect the marine heat exchanger from corrosive salts, a sacrificial zinc anode is screwed
into the heat exchanger. This anode must be periodically replaced as part of regular maintenance.

Tube and Shell

The most basic and the most common type of heat
exchanger construction is the tube and shell, as
shown in the Figure. This type of heat exchanger
consists of a set of tubes in a container called a
shell.

The fluid flowing inside the tubes is called the tube

side fluid and the fluid flowing on the outside of the
tubes is the shell side fluid. At the ends of the
tubes, the tube side fluid is separated from the
shell side fluid by the tube sheet(s).
The tubes are rolled and press-fitted or welded into
the tube sheet to provide a leak tight seal. In
systems where the two fluids are at vastly different
pressures, the higher pressure fluid is typically
directed through the tubes and the lower pressure
fluid is circulated on the shell side.

Plate heat exchanger

Another type of heat exchanger is the plate heat exchanger. One is
composed of multiple, thin, slightly-separated plates that have very large
surface areas and fluid flow passages for heat transfer. This stacked-plate
arrangement can be more effective, in a given space, than the shell and
tube heat exchanger. Advances in gasket and brazing technology have
made the plate-type heat exchanger increasingly practical These heat
exchangers are normally of the gasketed type to allow periodic
disassembly, cleaning, and inspection.

Plate heat exchangers also differ in the types of plates that are used, and
in the configurations of those plates. Some plates may be corrugated or
other patterns, where others may have machined fins and/or grooves.

Description regarding components like thermostat, water jackets

etc are given in the previous pages.

Also refer to page 13 of Phase 2

document to see the types of heat
exchangers.

A THERMOSTAT

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Main Jacket water/sea water pumps

Water pumps have many designs, but most are the centrifugal
type.

Many water pumps have a spring-loaded seal to avoid leakage

of water around the pump shaft. Some V-type engines have a
pump on each cylinder block.

Both Fresh water cooling pump and sea water cooling pump of
a marine engine can be belt driven by the engine crank shaft
drive or may be gear driven. Depending on the size of the
engine both the pumps or one of them may be electrical
driven.

In larger slow speed engine both sea water and fresh water
pumps are mostly identical electrical driven pumps.

These are high capacity centrifugal pumps, two or three in

number, circulate the sea/Jacket water throughout the system
as required.ie. Sea water pump is responsible for throwing out the same sea water after it extracts the heat
from engine jacket ( fresh) water at the heat exchanger where as the fresh water pump circulate fresh water
through the engine and heat exchanger and continue re-circulating the same water through the system.

These pumps have their own isolation valves, which can be used to isolate the pump to carry out
maintenance on it.

These pumps are capable of running in parallel and individually, depending on the heat balance requirement.

One of the sea water pumps, sometimes may act as dual purpose pump, used as General service or even
Ballast pump.
Sea Water cooling system
The various cooling liquids which circulate the engine are themselves cooled by sea water.

The usual arrangement uses

individual coolers for lubricating oil,
jacket water, and the piston cooling
system, each cooler being circulated
by sea water..

A sea water cooling system is shown

in Figure 2.19. From the sea suction
one of a pair of sea-water circulating
pumps provides sea water which
circulates the lubricating oil cooler,
the jacket water cooler and the
piston water cooler before
discharging overboard.

Another branch of the sea water

main provides sea water to directly
cool the charge air (for a direct-drive
two-stroke diesel).

Some modern ships use what is

known as a 'central cooling
system' with only one large sea-
water-circulated cooler.
In smaller wet sump lubricating engines, lubricating oil is being cooled by engine jacket water
before sending to the engine.
Document preparation by Rohan Perera
 Document preparation by Rohan Perera
Piston Cooling :- (92)

The pistons of an internal combustion engine subject to high

temperature due to the combustion taking place in the
combustion chamber.

In a trunk type piston engine , the lubricating oil which

lubricates the piston pin bearing,(Gudgeon pin or top ed
bearing) splashes to the under piston area thus lubricating
and cooling the piston.

In some engines lubricating oil runs through a pipe line

across the crank case equipped with one or two nozzles
underneath every piston to spray pressurized lubricating oil
to the under piston area for cooling purposes In two stroke
crosshead engines any of this system cannot be adapted as
the crankcase is completely separated from under piston area
by a diaphragm. Therefore a piston cooling device for these
engines should be introduced.

In this type of engines the piston and the piston rods are
manufactured in such away that the passages and grooves
are cut for cooling medium to circulate. The piston is bolted
to piston rod with sealing devices so as to prevent any leak of
cooling medium.
Two primary coolants used in cooling pistons of large
engines are treated fresh water or system lubricating
oil.

Water :_
Water has a high specific heat capacity and can be pumped
by a external pump and the size of the pump and coolers can
be smaller on comparison to oil using similar way from
external source. The main disadvantage is the possible leakage
of water in to the crankcase and associated complications of
contamination.

Oil:-
When oil from the engine lubricating oil is supplied the risk of
contamination can be avoided. But there is a tendency for
carbon deposits in the high temperature regions.

Telescopic Tubes :
As shown in the diagrams lubricating oil pipes are fitted in the
crankcase and oil is directed to the fixed tubes welded to the
entablature, through which telescopic tubes are moving up and
down. These telescopic tubes are fitted to crosshead and thus
moving with the crosshead. Oil through the inlet telescopic tube
passes through the grooves in the crosshead, piston rod and the
piston and after cooling the piston travels back through the
outlet oil grooves in the crosshead to the outlet telescopic tube
and travels outside the engine through the fixed tube as shown.

Precautions..
In water cooled engines precautions to be taken to avoid water
in to the crankcase. Should prevent oil contamination in water
cooling system. Also due to reciprocating motion of the columns
there may be water hammering and should be prevented.

In MAN engines to prevent water hammer an air vessel is

provided in the system.

Engines like SULZER uses only oil cooled pistons in their

modern engines. Document preparation by Rohan Perera
 Document preparation by Rohan Perera
Coolant pH (93)
One major factor on the corrosion rate of the metals is the coolant's pH. Shifts in coolant pH will affect the
metals that corrode and the rate of each metal's corrosion. The pH scale runs from 0 to 14. A coolant
becomes more acidic closer to zero; and more alkaline toward 14. Coolant pH should always be maintained
between 8.5 and 11. If a coolant's pH drops below 8.5, it will become aggressive to ferrous metals (cast iron
and steel), aluminum, copper and brass. If it increases above 11, it will become aggressive to aluminum and
solder in a cooling system. Maintaining optimum pH in a coolant is a critical function of a coolant additive.

Anti freezing and anti rusting additives

When water in the cooling system freezes it may cause cracking the cylinder block, pipes and the radiator.

Freezing of water occurs where the atmospheric temperature is very less. To prevent freezing, antifreeze
mixtures or solutions are added in the water. The most commonly used antifreeze materials are Wood
alcohol, denatured alcohol, glycerine, Ethylene glycol, propylene glycol and mixture of alcohol and glycerine.

The alcohol evaporates quickly. So it should be checked frequently. Ethylene glycol is a permanent type
antifreeze material.

Glycerine and glycol are although costly but do not evaporate readily and hence prove cheaper in long run.
But they should not enter the engine parts as they seizure of the moving parts. The lower the temperature,
the higher is the percentage of antifreeze material.

Anti rusting additives prevent the engine parts from rusting and corrosion.
The antifreeze material should mix with the water readily. It should prevent freezing of the mixture at lowest
temperatures. It should circulate freely in the cooling system. It should not damage the cooling system by
corrosion action. It should not deposit any foreign material.

Corrosion Inhibitors
The life of the antifreeze depends on it's ability to inhibit corrosion.

Silicates, phosphates and/or borates are used as corrosion inhibitors to keep the solution alkaline. As long as
the antifreeze remains so, corrosion is held in check and there's no need to change the coolant.

But as the corrosion inhibiting chemicals are used up over time, electrolytic corrosion starts to eat away at
the metal inside the engine/ radiator/heat exchanger.

Under Concentration of coolant/anti-freeze will cause:

 liner or water pump impeller cavitation
 general corrosion
 deposits on heat transfer surfaces
 plugging of the system with corrosion products
Over Concentration of coolant/anti-freeze will cause:
 water pump seal seepage
 solder bloom or solder corrosion
 hose and gasket seepage
 plugging of system with precipitates or gelled additives
 slush formation and resultant overheating

Testing Antifreeze

One way to find out if it's time to change the antifreeze is to test it.

Although hydrometer test is common it is not very accurate. Further more hydrometers only work for
ethylene glycol-based coolants/antifreeze. Propylene glycol cannot be read with a hydrometer due to the fact
that up to 70 percent concentration specific gravity increases, but above 70 percent specific gravity
decreases.

Several suppliers make special antifreeze test strips that react to the pH (alkalinity) of the coolant and
change color. In a matter of minutes the pH, Sulfate and Chloride levels in a coolant can be determined.
If the test strip indicates a marginal or bad condition, the coolant should be changed.

Refractometer is the fast, easy way to determine the freeze point protection in both Ethylene Glycol
and Propylene Glycol coolants. It is more accurate than test strips or float-type hydrometers.