Experimental Analysis of the Air Circuit for Engine Cooling Systems

If the ram effect is null or negligible, generation of the air flow required by the engine cooling system in a vehicle depends entirely on the fan.

Currently, there is no satisfactory theory which permits the designing of the fan and the dimensioning of the system in restricted flow conditions; even experimental evaluations are neither easy nor generally applied.

This paper presents a method for experimental analysis of the air circuit which compares fan “actual” performance with “ideal” performance.

Examples of application demonstrate the practical usefulness of this method, not only for system development purposes, but also for providing empirical data which Can be used during the design stage.