The Effect of the Flow Nonuniformity on the Sizing of the Engine Radiator

A mathematical method to determine the effectiveness of the engine radiator accounting for the effect of the two-dimensional nonuniform fluid flow distributions on both cooling air and engine coolant sides is presented. By using a successive substitution technique, a single equation with the temperature of the heat transfer wall as the unknown variable is obtained from the three heat transfer rate equations. The radiator heat transfer effectiveness and its deterioration due to the effect of the two-dimensional flow nonuniformity on both fluid sides have been calculated for several typical fluid flow distributions. The effect of the flow nonuniformity on the sizing of the engine radiator of automobile is discussed.