New Rad!

[alanrichey]

I think we also have to assume that the F1 radiator will be enclosed in some sort of tunnel so that 100% of the air is forced to go through the radiator. With the best will in the world, unless a very tight-fitting cowl is fitted, in our case some of the air will flow around the edges and the over the top, and I would think that tilting it backwards (he talks about tilting it forwards), would make it more likely that air would tend to flow up and over the rad and not go through it (path of least resistance?)

[Guest Ian & Carole]

Don't forget though, no matter how much air you force through the radiator either by ducting, slanting the radiator, using a fan that will blow Alan Tichmarshes wig off if there is no way out for the hot air you ARE wasting your time.

 

 

[Guest mower man]

Blanking sides, top and bottom is very important if you have the skills a proper set up is the ultimate to duct air through the core but remember that it has to flow out again ,bonnet louvres ,side louvres .bonnet propped up at the rear etc are all to be consdered mick must type quiker ,thanks IAN

Edited March 18, 2015 by mower man

[fry61]

What-ever rad or mounting position -- a rad that under-preforms in free flow of car movement & over-preforms when the rad fan operates is the ideal -- thus keeping the engine at its design temperature.

[richardm6994]

I've got a graph somewhere from a University experiement showing the cooling performance of a ducted radiator at an angle from 90 degrees (completely vertical) to 30 degrees.

 

Basically under the same conditions, the water return tempt was reduced by 10degC as the radiator got closer to a 60 degree angle (cooling performance of the rad was increased).........however beyond 60 degree angle the cooling performance starts to drop off.....and then the radiator was almost completeley useless after 50 degrees mount angle.

 

Different fin pitches and radiator thickness change the 'optimum angle'....but the comclusion was that an angled rad performs better than an vertical rad.

 

Turbulant flow has a much better coefficient than laminar flow.

Edited March 18, 2015 by steamer

[Guest lotusPaul]

I think it works on the idea that turbulant air is slower..therefore has more time to absorb the heat from the rad.giving better cooling.

 

Tilting the rad means you can fit the same rad in a smaller frontal space..less body drag..or a larger rad in the same space.

 

My understanding is that a well designed rad upright will be better than an angled one, due to slowing down the passage of air..see first part..and consider a poor rad slowing down air to much so it can only obsorb so much heat.

 

Air must flow through so pressure on one side must be greater than the other so the exit route is just as important as sealing for max air through the rad.

 

These are just my thoughts and opinions from a few years of building kitcars