Experimental study of operating performance of a tube-and-fin radiator for vehicles

Abstract

In this paper, an experimental study of the heat transfer characteristics of a tube-and-fin radiator for vehicles is carried out by using an experimental optimization design technique on a wind tunnel test rig of the radiator. The regression equations of heat dissipation rate, coolant pressure drop and air pressure drop are developed. The influences of the air velocity, inlet coolant temperature and volume flowrate of coolant on heat dissipation rate, coolant pressure drop and air pressure drop are discussed in detail by means of the numerical analyses. Also, the research results provide a basis for the theoretical analysis of heat performances and structural refinement of the tube-and-fin radiator.