The Radiator: Keeping Engine Temperature Leveled
by GLADY REIGN
The continuous and arduous operation of a vehicle's internal combustion engine produces intense heat. For an idea on how hot an engine becomes, one can try to feel the hood of a running car. People cannot stand that level of heat and will eventually pull their hands away. To relieve that heat, which can be potentially damaging to the engine and to the other nearby components, car manufacturers use a simple solution. They install a cooling system that improves engine performance. The efficiency of the cooling system, however, depends on the function of its every component. The basic component of the assembly is the radiator.
Connected to the channels running through the engine and cylinder head, a liquid called anti-freeze flows through the radiator. This component, mounted near a car��s grill, is designed with horizontal and sometimes vertical tubing that is connected to a receiving tank and a dispensing tank. A particular type known as side flow radiator has end caps on its side that allows a lower hood line. In a closed system, a liquid coolant conducts heat away from the heated engine components to the radiator, which dissipates the heat to the surrounding air. Meanwhile, the engine temperature is controlled by a thermostat. It is designed to open or close as necessary in maintaining the standard temperature of the engine; in doing this, it meters the amount of water that goes to the radiator.
There are a number of items that must be considered when picking the proper radiator for one��s automobile. Choosing the right size is important as it must be proportional to the ideal temperature of the engine. Some engines even have an additional radiator that specifically functions to cool the motor oil. Cars that are designed with automatic transmission, meanwhile, are usually installed with additional connections to the radiator. Like the engine, the transmission also transfers its heat to the coolant in the radiator. Supercharged engines, on the other hand, may have an intercooler, which is an air-to-air or air-to-water radiator used to cool the incoming charge. Indeed, the technology on designing radiators and the variety of its applications has considerably improved and diversified. No longer just for the engine, however, it remains the same��always keeping it cool for every car.
