Category Archives: Electrical

Today, we’ll talk about your vehicle’s cooling system and how it works. Your vehicle’s cooling system consists of the water pump, radiator, cooling fans, and thermostat. We’ll talk about radiators and different types of radiators in this post.

What is The Radiator, and what does it do?

Radiators are heat exchangers that allow thermal energy to be transferred from one medium to another for cooling and heating.

A radiator is a cooling device with a wide cooling surface and a big volume of air that distributes through the water to efficiently cool it.

Radiators are used to cool the internal combustion engine in automobiles and have a wide range of uses in the automotive industry. They’re also utilised in piston-engined aeroplanes, railway locomotives, motorbikes, stationary generating plants, and other applications.

The direction of water flow through radiators is used to classify them. Some radiators have a top-to-bottom flow, whereas others have a top-to-bottom flow. In a cross flow type radiator, water flows horizontally from one input tank on one side to another tank on the other side.

Because of their great heat conductivity, copper and brass are commonly used in radiators. Soldering connects the various components of the radiators almost entirely.

Radiator Types

Radiators are divided into two categories.

• Tubular type
• Cellular type

Core of Tubular Type

The top and lower tanks are connected by a network of tubes through which water travels in a tubular type core. To enhance heat transfer, fins are put around the tubes. As air travels around the exterior of the tubes and between the fins, it absorbs heat from the water.

Because water flows through all of the tubes of a tubular radiator, if one becomes blocked, the entire tube loses its cooling function. The blockage of any channel in a cellular radiator results in a loss of just a tiny portion of the overall cooling surface.

Core of Cellular Type

Air travels through the tubes and water flows through the gaps between them in a cellular type core.

The core is made up of a huge number of separate air cells that are encased in water. The cellular type is sometimes referred to as a honeycomb radiator because to its look, particularly when the cells in front are hexagonal in shape.

The blockage of any channel in a cellular radiator results in a loss of just a tiny portion of the overall cooling surface.

Is it Possible to Drive a Car Without a Radiator?

You can start your automobile without a radiator, but it’s a dangerous proposition. As long as the engine does not overheat, you will not do any damage. It’s not an issue if you don’t run it long enough for the engine to become too hot. If your automobile overheats, you must turn it off and allow it to cool down by convection.

Radiators are, in theory, entirely optional on an engine. Air-cooled engines have been around for quite some time. Cooling fins on these radiators remove heat and release it into the air.

But,

However, if your automobile was built with a radiator in mind, you’ll need one. There is no need to get rid of it.

What Makes an Engine Overheat?

An inadequate amount of water in the cooling system causes overheating. Clogged radiators and water passageways, belt slippage, demanding thermostat, late ignition timing, improper valve timing, pre-ignition, too tight bearing, low engine oil level, clogged exhaust system, and other factors can all contribute to this.

What Are the Symptoms of a Faulty Radiator?

• When the coolant can’t get to where it needs to go to cool the engine, it warms up.
• The hoses may be blocked, or the coolant level may be too low.
• A warning light may appear on the dashboard, or the temperature gauge may indicate that it is excessively hot.
• You may detect the scent of antifreeze or a tell-tale puddle on the garage floor if a hose is damaged or the radiator is rusted with rust.
• If you notice smoke coming from beneath the hood, it’s possible that coolant has leaked onto the engine and is being burned up.
• If you notice smoke escaping from the muffler, it’s possible that the head gasket has been damaged by the heated engine.

PTC heaters are made up of specialised heating discs made of sophisticated ceramic materials with a positive temperature coefficient. These heaters are safe, powerful, and energy-efficient, allowing for excellent heat production and transfer even in the tiniest of areas.

Have you ever had your heater break down just when you needed it the most? Have you ever heard of hot spots or overheating in vehicle seats? We’ve been relying on fixed resistance heaters for the majority of our demands for decades. When a single point sensor ‘assumes’ the temperature of the entire heater, safety is still an issue. 

Despite the numerous problems that traditional heaters have faced, we continue to use them broadly throughout industries. Narain Cooling, on the other hand, now has the solution to all of these problems: PTC heating, a technology that prioritises safety.

What are PTC heaters?

PTC heaters are self-regulating heaters that operate in an open loop without the use of external diagnostic controls. PTC heaters use conductive inks printed on thin, flexible polymer-based substrates to generate heat, rather than the wires and coils used in classic fixed-resistance heaters. 

They are perfect for goods that demand safer, faster, and more uniform heating due to their great dependability and efficiency. Because of the material’s characteristics, the PTC heater can function as its own sensor, obviating the requirement for external feedback controls. As a result, there is no chance of overheating with the heater.

What is a positive temperature coefficient?

When a material has a positive temperature coefficient, it means that as its temperature rises, so does its resistance to current. When the design temperature is reached, the current through these devices rises sharply because to the low resistance, but subsequently drops to zero. These gadgets are made to reach a certain temperature throughout the manufacturing process.

Types of PTC heaters

Fin elements and honeycomb shapes are the two types of PTC heaters. While both types of heaters have a number of advantages over traditional heaters, users should be informed of the advantages and disadvantages of each before choosing one.

The power consumed by PTC heaters

PTC heaters use all of its available power to quickly heat up and reach the desired temperature. As the temperature rises, the power consumption decreases. This dynamic heating system is not only efficient in terms of time and energy, but also in terms of effectiveness. 

PTC heaters may work at temperatures ranging from -40°C to 70°C (-40°F to 158°F). During the design process, the threshold temperature is modified. Heaters with different temperature zones are possible, and the watt density can be adjusted with a few easy changes.

What do PTC heaters offer?

Conductive inks are genuinely authoring the success tale of printed electronics, such as PTC heaters, with a remarkable blend of performance and usefulness. They provide you the ability to create complex heating schemes. They’re also abrasion-resistant, cost-effective, and simple to manufacture in big quantities. Carbon conductive inks are screen printed on polymer-based substrates using PTC heaters. While polyester is the most common substrate material, other materials can also be employed. The PTC conductive inks can withstand several heating and cooling cycles. To avoid moisture infiltration and mechanical wear, the printed circuits are sealed with an adhesive laminate.

How are PTC heaters unique?

Heaters made with PTC cannot overheat. When the resistance of the device increases, the current through it lowers, making the gadget self-limiting. They can also be described as self-restraint. When the ambient temperature drops, the heater’s resistance drops, drawing more current and counteracting the cooling trend. Any tendency to raise its temperature, on the other hand, has the opposite effect. These qualities are not present in convection heaters.

The Point of Curie

PTC ceramics can be made with a variety of predetermined temperatures at which this drastic resistance shift occurs. The Curie point of the PTC heater is the temperature at which this happens.

More adaptability In the manufacturing industry

PTC heaters can be configured to function at temperatures ranging from -40 degrees Fahrenheit to 158 degrees Fahrenheit, making them ideal for a wide range of equipment design applications. The material utilised can be made in an infinite number of shapes and sizes. For specific uses, custom shapes can be created. Machined, drilled, bent, and curved PTC materials are all possible.

What are the advantages of PTC technology?

PTC Technology has considerable advantages in two critical areas, making it ideally suited and safe for use in the bilge region of your yacht. The first and most important consideration is safety. PTC heaters are self-limiting, which means that as they approach their design operating temperature, they automatically reduce their power consumption. Overheating is impossible with PTC heaters.

The maximum output level of the Xtreme Heater PTC element is chosen to offer enough heating power to maintain above-freezing temperatures within the engine compartment at low ambient temperatures.

Conclusion 

The PTC element powers down to a minimum operating level without overheating; it stays operational as a convection heater to prevent freeze damage. When the heating system is suddenly subjected to a thermal load caused by lowering ambient temperatures or a consumer-induced event, such as opening the engine compartment hatch and allowing cold air in, the PTC heater from Narain Cooling will instantly raise its heating power to compensate for the heat loss. As soon as this is completed, the heater will return to treading water mode and stabilise at a reduced power level.

All radiators, whether in automobiles or other uses, perform the same function. The heat from the liquid running through them is dissipated into the atmosphere. The objective of a car radiator in an automobile is to cool the hot liquid coming from your engine by lowering its temperature. As a result, the heat generated by the motor’s normal operation is reduced. The cooling is accomplished by air moving across the radiator’s huge surface area.

Car Radiator helps in proper airflow 

If air is unable to flow over the radiator’s fins for any reason, the radiator will not be able to cool. When a car is moving forward, it generates its own airflow, but when it is stopped or moving slowly, it must rely on a car radiator fan. Of course, if the fan isn’t operating, your car may overheat, especially if you’re driving in traffic at a low speed. The radiator may become clogged with dirt and dust, preventing optimum ventilation.

Coolant in the Car Radiator

The coolant (the fluid that passes through your radiator) is the cooling system’s lifeblood. It’s a precise mixture of water and an ingredient (antifreeze) that’s safe to use in your car. Coolant levels should be examined on a regular basis, and if the liquid is being lost from the system, there is most likely a leak somewhere. If there is a leak, an ADRAD radiator repair specialist can find it and fix it before it becomes a costly problem. Coolant degrades over time and must be changed on a regular basis. A car radiator flush is also required once a year to remove deposits that have accumulated during normal operation.

How does a Car Radiator work?

The combustion of gasoline and the generation of energy from the vehicle’s many moving parts provide the vehicle with the necessary power. This kind of power and movement can cause a lot of heat in the engine. To avoid overheating and severe damage, it’s critical to remove this heat from the engine while it’s running.

A radiator aids in the removal of surplus heat generated by the engine. It’s part of the engine’s cooling system, which also comprises a liquid coolant, coolant hoses, a fan, and a coolant temperature thermostat. The coolant goes from the radiator through the hoses, through the engine to absorb excess engine heat, and back to the radiator.

What to do if the radiator fails?

When an engine is operating in hot conditions, it might overheat. However, if the radiator is low on coolant or has a leak in one of its hoses, the chance of overheating increases significantly. A damaged thermostat, a mechanical issue with the fan, or a faulty pressure cap that cannot pressurize the system, resulting in an overflow of coolant are all possible radiator faults. The engine can overheat in any of these situations, causing serious damage.

Car owners should be aware of the indicators of radiator failure to avoid costly repairs. Among the signs and symptoms are:

• An odd rise and decrease in the temperature gauge in the instrument cluster
• Any amount of green liquid (coolant or antifreeze) collecting under the hood of the car The sight or smell of smoke coming from under the hood of the car
• There is visible rust on the cooling system components.
• If any of these symptoms appear, a skilled mechanic should inspect the cooling system and radiator.

Car Radiator Price :

Car radiators are a necessary component of any vehicle, and their price can vary depending on the make, model, and year of the car. Many people might not think about the price of a car radiator until they need to replace one, but it is an important part of owning a car. Depending on the make and model of the car, the price of a new radiator can range from a couple of hundred dollars to over a thousand dollars. If a car owner is not careful, they could end up spending a lot of money on a new radiator.

Tips for maintenance

To ensure its longevity and effective operation, the radiator, like any other vehicle component, requires certain maintenance:

Radiator hoses should be replaced every three years or 36,000 miles. Hoses should never be driven more than 50,000 miles because they are rubberized and can dry out and break over time.

Check the coolant levels on a regular basis. There could be a leak in the cooling system if the fluid level drops considerably between checks. Slow leaks can be difficult to notice, so paying constant attention is essential.

Every 25,000 miles, have the coolant drained to eliminate any pollutants from the radiator and its hoses.

Wrap up

Every driver wishes to avoid being stranded on the side of the road due to an overheating engine. Radiators, on the other hand, prevent this by removing excess heat from the engine while it is running. Understanding the necessity of this cooling mechanism, the warning indications of probable failure, and the necessary maintenance procedures will help keep the fin tube radiator – and the engine – running smoothly for many years.