Analysis of automobile radiator performance with ethylene glycol/water and propylene glycol/water coolants
- ARCO Chemical Co., Newtown Square, NJ (United States)
The heat transfer and hydraulic performance of the following coolants was examined in five automobile radiators in a wind tunnel: 100% water; 100% propylene glycol; 70/30 propylene glycol/water (volume); 50/50 propylene glycol/water (volume); 70/30 ethylene glycol/water (volume); 50/50 ethylene glycol water (volume). The results of these studies are presented to demonstrate the relative performance of these coolant mixtures in terms of heat transfer, coolant pressure drop and radiator effectiveness for a range of coolant and air flowrates. It is concluded that the most effective of the coolants in transferring heat in the test radiators was water, followed by 50/50 ethylene glycol/water, 50/50 propylene glycol/water, 70/30 ethylene glycol/water, 70/30 propylene glycol and, finally, 100% propylene glycol. There will be a negligible differences between the performance of a radiator using a 50/50 propylene glycol/water coolant and a 50/50 ethylene glycol/water coolant. It is estimated that, with 50/50 propylene glycol coolant replacing 50/50 ethylene glycol/water, the temperature of the coolant throughout the cooling loop will increase by approximately 5%. The effect that the flow regime (fully turbulent/transition/laminar) has upon the performance of a given radiator/coolant combination was found to be significant. The design of the coolant passages in radiators can affect the onset of fully turbulent flow in the coolant passages in a radiator.
- OSTI ID:
- 458386
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9604188--; ISBN 0-7918-1766-0
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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