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When the coolant reaches a predetermined high temperature, the ECM will This too limits fan drag to improve fuel economy.Įlectric cooling fans are activated by the electronicĬontrol module (ECM), using an input from the engine coolant temperature
#Types of cooling systems in ic engines full#
When the spring heats up it allows for full fan blade operation. That lessens torque to the fan blades when the engine is cold, allowing them toįreewheel. Cutting back on fan speed lessens load on the engine, improving fuel economy.Ī thermostatic clutch has a built in bimetal spring When the vehicle is moving, air naturally blows through the radiator, so it needs less fan speed. This is based on the assumption that if the engine speed is higher, the vehicle must be moving down the road. A centrifugal clutch slows down the speed of the spinning fan blades as engine speed increases, by allowing the fan to freewheel, disconnected from engine torque. Belt driven fans are usually equipped with a centrifugal clutch or a thermostatic clutch. Kind of like blowing on your french fries to cool them down.Ĭooling fans are either belt driven or powered by an electric motor. The cooling fan blows air through the radiator fins, allowing heat energy from the radiator to enter the air, where it goes away. So as the coolant flows through the radiator, heat energy from the coolant then goes to the metal in the radiator. This extremely hot coolant is then pumped through the radiator where its heat energy is transferred to the atmosphere, and the cycle continues. As the coolant passes through the engine, heat goes from the hot engine to the coolant. Once coolant is flowing through the radiator, it continues on a cycle of heating up and cooling down.
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As the hot coolant heats the spring, both metals pull against each other, causing the spring to contract, which opens the poppet valve, allowing the coolant to flow. This means that the spring consists of two separate metals that contract and expand differently when exposed to changes in temperature. When it achieves the operating temperature, the thermostat opens, allowing coolant to flow through the radiator. This allows the coolant to heat up without the cooling effects of Coolant is directed through the engine by way of aīypass hose. When the thermostat is closed, it inhibits coolantįlow through the radiator. It uses a spring operated poppet valve that is closed when the engine is cold, blocking coolant flow, and usually opens at a coolant temperature of 185 – 195 degrees, depending on the rating of the thermostat. The thermostat is the gatekeeper of the cooling system. The thermostat controls the flow of the coolant. Water jackets are throughout the entire engine, but are concentrated mostlyĪround the combustion chambers, as this is where the heat is generated, and The water pump uses spinning impellers to push coolant through the engine, radiator, and heater core.Ĭoolant flows through the engine via water jackets. These belts are driven by a pulley on the front of the crankshaft. The water pump is driven by the same accessory drive belts that operate the alternator, power steering pump, and the air conditioner compressor. The water pump circulates coolant through the cooling system. Here’s how an automotive cooling system uses the mechanism of heat transfer to keep your engine cool and your tootsies warm: Transfers to the ice, making the can cold.Ĭold, by definition, is the absence of heat energy. Since heatĮnergy will always move to something cooler, the heat energy in the can This is putting a warm can of soda (beer) into a cooler of ice. Heat energy will always seek out something cooler. Heat transfer is the movement of heat energy from one place toĪnother. Engine damage can happen fairly quickly when coolant temperatures start to rise near 300 degrees.Īn engine cooling system works on the principal of Engine operating temperature depends on the temperature of the coolant. That’s a lot of heat that has to be removed. Operating temperature of the engine should be in the low 200 degree range. The temperature inside the combustion chamber of a car engine, (the area where the fuel burns) can easily reach as high as 1600 deg. The only time we notice the cooling system is when it fails, and that can quite often be catastrophic. It quietly keeps your engine at operating temperature, preventing overheating, and all the while supplying toasty cozy heat to the passenger compartment. The cooling system is the unsung hero of the internal combustion car engine.