Performance evaluation of a radiator in a diesel engine—a case study

Performance evaluation of a radiator mounted on a turbo-charged diesel engine has been made with and without fouling factor. Heat transfer estimation indicates that the radiator is over designed. The characteristics of the radiator have been analyzed for different tube rows with varying air mass velocities to enable the design engineer to select the size depending upon the requirement and application. The study also examines the effect of different materials of construction of fins and tubes. It has been observed that the copper fins with copper, brass and carbon steel tubes offer the same heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics. However, the designer must look into the mechanical properties of these materials as they suit the requirements.