Design and Analysis of Modified Radiator Fins to Improve Overall Cooling Efficiency

Abstract

Internal Combustion engines have been a significant component of the industrial development in the 20th and 21st centuries. However, the high working temperatures cause extensive wear and tear among the parts and results in a loss in fuel efficiency and ultimately seize the engine. To prevent this, there was a need for a cooling system. The current systems cool the vehicle's engine by transferring heat from the engine to the coolant/water in the water jacket from where it reaches the radiator via tubes, and the hot temperature coolant is cooled. This article proposes a change in the design of radiator fins to improve the overall cooling efficiency of such systems. As radiator fins are instrumental in the heat transfer process, a design change in them results in substantial changes in the output efficiency results. The central concept that is utilized is to increase the surface area of the fins, which would increase the rate of heat loss from the pipes. This increase in surface area of the fins is achieved by introducing a new surface design, wherein hemispherical dimple-type protrusions are engraved on the surface of the fin such that the overall surface area for heat loss is increased. The computational fluid dynamics process of the radiator is carried out before and after the design changes to highlight the differences and the need for a new design. The comparative results with a focus on the variation inlet air temperature and the mass flow rate versus outlet coolant temperature show that the above mentioned design changes increase the rate of heat loss and hence improve the efficiency