The Effect of Off-Design Operation on the Thermal Performance of Propylene-Glycol and Ethylene-Glycol Engine Coolants

An experimental program has been conducted to evaluate the thermal performance, the relationship between surface heat flux and surface temperature, of two engine coolants at off-design operating conditions. These conditions could be caused by high ambient temperature or a faulty system seal. The experimental data shows that system pressure has the most pronounced effect on thermal performance. Lowering the system pressure enhances boiling by reducing the saturation temperature. Using a revised Chen correlation, analytical predictions have been obtained which agree with the experimental results