IRJET- Performance Evaluation of Automobile Radiator

International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056
Volume: 05 Issue: 03 | Mar-2018 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072
© 2018, IRJET | Impact Factor value: 6.171 | ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal | Page 670
Performance Evaluation of Automobile Radiator
Ramesh. T1, Karthik. E2, Venkatesan. T3, Brightson George 4
1 ME-Department of Mechanical Engineering, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology,
Sathyamangalam, Erode
2, 3, 4 BE – Department of Mechanical Engineering, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology,
Sathyamangalam, Erode
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Abstract - Today’s automobiles are getting equipped with
high powered engines. The process of equipping such
automobiles with this has necessitated the need for improving
the cooling efficiency of its radiators. The present work aims
on studying and analyzing the thermal behaviorofautomobile
radiators. Both LMTD and ε – NTU methods are widely used
for design and performance analysis of radiators. The flow
behavior of coolant fluids in radiator tubes is of great
importance to the design of radiators. In addition to the
concentration on flow behavior of coolants in radiators this
work also focuses on the geometrical aspectswhichareusedin
the core of radiators. Finally case studies of radiator
prototypes are proposed which provides the thermal behavior
of radiator for the various mass flow rates of coolant and air
and surface area parameters. Finally this work provides an
overall behavior report of automobile radiators working at
usual range of conclusions have also been reported with the
presence of case studies.
Key Words: Automobile radiators, Thermal behavior,
LMTD and ε – NTU
1. INTRODUCTION
In an automobile, fuel and air produce power within the
engine through combustion. Only a portion of the total
generated power actually supplies the automobile with
power the rest is wasted in the form of exhaust and heat. If
this waste heat is not removed , the engine will become
more hot, that results in overheating and viscosity
breakdown of the lubricating oil, metal weakening of the
overheated engine parts, and stress between engine parts
resulting in quick wear of piston rings, connecting rod etc.
2. RADIATOR
Radiator is a device which provides exchange of heat
between two fluids is at different temperatures.Thefunction
of the radiator is to transfer heat from the hot water flowing
through the radiator tubes to the air flowing through
the closely spaced thin plates outside attached to the
tubes. A radiator consists of an upper tank, core &
the lower (Collector) tank. Hot coolant from the engine
enters the radiator at the top & is cooled by the crossflowof
the air , while flowing down the radiator.Thecoolantcollects
in the collector tank from where it is pumped to the
engine for cooling.
Fig. 1 TYPICAL RADIATOR
3. LITERATURE REVIEW
Trivedi and Vasava, illustrated the effect of Tube pitch
for best configured radiator for optimum performance. Heat
transfer increases as the surface area of the radiator
assembly is increased.
P.K.Trivedi and N.B.Vasava intheirstudyrevealedthatthe
velocityof the airflow through theradiatorisafunctionofthe
vehicle speed and the “heat transferred by a radiator is a
function of the airflow rate across the radiator” This paper
presents a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modeling
simulation ofmassflowrate of airpassing acrossthetubesof
an automotive radiator. An introduction to mass flow rate
and its significance was elaborated in order to
understand the complications involved in the research and
thereafter arrive at the objectives. Knowing the geometry
of tube in radiator is the crucial application of CFD to
numerically model and thereby analyze the simulation.
The Air flow simulation is conducted using commercial
software ANSYS
P. S. Amrutkar and S. R. Patil mentioned that the
automotive radiator is key component of engine cooling
system. Radiator thermal analysis consist sizing and
ratingof heat exchanger. Radiator size mainly depends on
heat rejection requirement. Heat transfer calculations
are important fundamentals to optimize radiator
size. Automotive manufacturers use 1-D simulation
software to decide radiator size. This paper focuses on
thermal analysis of radiator theoretically using ε-NTU
method and its validation by simulation approach.

Leong et al., described use of nano fluid based coolant in
engine cooling system and its effect on cooling capacity. It is
found that nano-fluid having higher thermal conductivity
than base coolant like 50%/50% water and ethylene glycol.
Kishore, in his thesis dealt with enhancement of heat
transfer for both laminar and turbulent flow conditions.
4. PROBLEM STATEMENT
Automotive engine cooling system takescare of excess
heat produced during engine operation. It regulates
engine surface temperature for engine optimum efficiency.
Recent advancement in engine for power forced engine
cooling system to develop new strategies to improve its
performance efficiency. Also to reduce fuel consumption
along with controlling engine emission to mitigate
environmental pollution norms.
From the laws of thermodynamics, we know that heat
transfer increases as we increase the surface area of the
radiator assembly. That said, the demand for more powerful
engines in smaller hood spaces has created a problem of
insufficient ratesof heatdissipation in automotive radiators.
Asa result, many radiators must be redesignedto be more
compact while still having sufficient cooling power
capabilities. This application proposes a new design for a
smaller radiator assembly. The new design is capable of
dissipating the same heat as the original, given a set of
operating conditions.
The proposed work focuses on how to overcome the
disadvantages of current radiatorsystemwhicharerelatedto
size, weight, compactness, coolant flow arrangementsand to
achieve improvement. It consist study of geometric
parameters of existing automobile radiatorwithitsstructure
of tubes and core. Then development of prototypes of
radiator based on existing tube structure. It includesthecase
studies of such prototypes which can form the basis to
invent possible solutions on problemsrelated to automotive
engine cooling system.
5. EXPERIMENTAL SCHEME
The outlet of the radiator is connected to the oil
storage tank. The oil storage tank is connected to the
heater. This in turn is connected to the inlet of the radiator.
For the flow purpose the centrifugal pump is used and
for connection purpose the rubber hoses are used. The
research work involves the analysis of cooling
performance of radiator by introducing different
nanoparticles and also by altering their usual design. This
work follows the following layout.
Fig. 2 Planned Experimental Layout [CAD Drawn]
The coolant enters the radiator in hot condition. The
radiator distributes the hot coolant into its branched tubes
where the coolant transfers its heat to the surroundings
through the fins. The coolant leaves the radiator at a
temperature just above the optimum temperature. This
coolant is stored in the oil storage tank. From the storage
tank the oil is taken through the engine’s coolant jackets
(here the engine is replaced by heater coils). As a result
the coolant carries away the excess heat from the engine.
This coolant in hot condition is takentotheradiatorandthe
cycle continues.
6. DESIGN PARAMETERS
It is a simple method to use the Log Mean Temperature
Difference (LMTD) method of heat exchanger analysis
when the fluid inlet temperatures are known and the
outlet temperatures are specified or readily determined
from the energy balance expressions, as follows
The value of ΔTlm for the exchanger may then be
determined.
NTU METHOD
If only the inlet temperatures are known, use of the
LMTD method requires a cumbersome iterative
procedure.

7. Research Work
The research work aims on evaluating the
performance evaluation of automobile radiator after
developing the radiator test rig. The methodology of the
radiator performance evaluation is made through this
project.
8. CONCLUSIONS
Thus this work has made a study and analysis
of the thermal behavior of the automobile radiators using
the LMTD and ε – NTU methods of designing radiators
for various parameters of mass flow rates of coolant and
air with its specific geometrical parameters. The
performance enhancement of automobile radiators is
found to be accomplished mainly by altering the
convective heat transfer coefficient. The presence of case
studies and comparing their results with the software
generated results has proved an easier way of designing
radiators which saves the time of the designer. In addition
the case studies reveal that ε – NTU method is the most
reliable method of designing radiators which are of cross
flow type heat exchangers.
REFERENCES
[1] Ahmad Fakheri, (2014) “Heat Exchanger
Efficiency”, Journal of Heat Transfer, Vol.129
[2] Akhilnandh Ramesh et al., (2015) “Heat Transfer
Studies on Air Cooled Spiral Radiator with
Circumferential Fins”, Procedia Engineering 127, 333
– 339
[3] Amrutkar PS and Patil SR, (2012)“Automotive
Radiator Sizing and Rating – Simulation
Approach”, IOSR Journal of Mechanical and Civil
Engineering
[4] Binit Kumar Jha et al., (2015) “Analysis of
Automobile Radiator Test Rig Using Different
Coolents”, International Conference on Science,
Technology and Management
[5] Incropera FP et al., (2007) “Fundamentals of Heat
and Mass Transfer”, John wiley & sons
publications, 6th edition
[6] Devendra Vashist et al., (2014) “Some Studies on the
Performance of Automotive Radiator at Higher
Coolant Temperature”, Journal of Basic and Applied
Engineering Research, Volume 1, Number 3
[7] Chavan D. K and Tasgaonkar G. S, (2013) “Study,
Analysis and Design of Automobile Radiator (Heat
Exchanger) Proposed with Cad Drawings and
Geometrical Model of the Fan”, International Journal of
Mechanical and Production Engineering Research
and Development, Vol. 3, Issue 2

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