What Does a Car Radiator do
The car radiator (water tank) is part of the car's cooling system. In a water-cooled system, the radiator consists of three parts: the inlet chamber, the outlet chamber, and the main fins and radiator core. The radiator cools the coolant, which has reached high temperatures. When the radiator's pipes and fins are exposed to the airflow generated by the cooling fan and the vehicle's movement, the coolant in the radiator cools down.
Classification of Radiators
Radiators can be categorized into cross-flow and parallel-flow types based on the direction of coolant flow within the unit. The core structure primarily falls into two main types: tube-fin and tube-band. The core structure primarily falls into two main types: tube-fin and tube-band. The tube-fin radiator core consists of numerous thin cooling tubes and fins. The cooling tubes typically feature a flattened oval cross-section to reduce air resistance and increase heat transfer surface area. The radiator core must provide sufficient flow area for coolant passage while also offering adequate airflow space to allow ample air to carry away the heat transferred from the coolant to the radiator. It must further possess sufficient heat dissipation surface area to facilitate heat exchange between the coolant, air, and fins.
The tube-and-fin radiator is fabricated by alternately arranging corrugated fins and cooling tubes through welding.
Materials for Car Radiators
Aluminum radiators, with their significant advantage in material weight reduction, are gradually replacing copper radiators in passenger cars and light vehicles. Overseas passenger cars predominantly use aluminum radiators, primarily for environmental protection considerations (especially in Europe and the United States). In new European passenger cars, aluminum radiators account for an average of 64% of the market.
Principle of Car Radiators
The car radiator is the primary component of the cooling system, designed to protect the engine from damage caused by overheating. Its principle involves utilizing cool air to reduce the temperature of engine coolant within the radiator. As part of the automotive cooling system, the engine water-cooling system's radiator consists of three main sections: the inlet chamber, outlet chamber, and the radiator core. The radiator cools the coolant that has reached high temperatures. When the radiator's tubes and fins are exposed to airflow generated by the cooling fan and vehicle movement, the coolant within the radiator cools down.
To prevent engine overheating, components surrounding the combustion chamber (cylinder liners, cylinder heads, valves, etc.) require adequate cooling. To ensure effective cooling, automotive cooling systems typically consist of a radiator, thermostat, water pump, cylinder block water passages, cylinder head water passages, and a fan. The radiator is responsible for cooling the circulating water. Its water tubes and fins are mostly made of aluminum. The aluminum water tubes are formed into a flat shape, while the fins feature a corrugated design, prioritizing heat dissipation performance. They are installed perpendicular to the direction of airflow to minimize air resistance and maximize cooling efficiency. Coolant flows through the core of the radiator, while air passes over the exterior of the core. The hot coolant cools as it releases heat to the air, while the cold air warms as it absorbs heat from the coolant. Thus, the radiator functions as a heat exchanger.
