Optimization of Cooling Airflow for improved Heat Dissipation through Radiator Authors: Paurnima Thakur, Amit Aher, Vishal Chavan, Chandrakant Palve Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India Private Limited Key Words: Radiator, Temperature, Heat Dissipation, Airflow, Cooling, Thermal Efficiency Abstract: Heat regulation is indispensable factor during operation of internal combustion engine. Automotive engine cooling system takes care of excess heat produced during engine operation. It regulates Engine surface temperature for engine optimum efficiency and plays important role in meeting CO2 emission target set by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Insufficient heat dissipation results into Engine overheating. This will affects thermal efficiency & ultimately brake specific fuel consumption of the Internal Combustion Engine. Radiator is the central component of a vehicle cooling system to monitor and regulate engine temperature and prevent it from overheating. Heat dissipation through radiator is directly proportional to volumetric flow rate of atmospheric air directs towards vehicle during typical operating condition. The demand of high power rating engines in smaller hood spaces has scope of efficient heat dissipation. It means that there is no specific guiding path in order to utilize the radiator up to its full potential. By taking motivation from this critical challenge, concept of cooling airflow optimization with the help of mechanical and automatic layout has been studied. It is very much evident that Lower radiator efficiency always hinders the performance of engine. Up to 33% of the energy generated by engine through combustion is lost in heat. Insufficient heat dissipation by the Radiator is one of the contributors. The paper objective major focus on optimization of volumetric cooling airflow for better heat dissipation through the radiator. This study throws light on cooling airflow optimization, which influences radiator performance significantly. The steady increase in cooling demand during the engine operation further demands for optimization of cooling airflow. Therefore, the basic approach for any heat transfer problem is to increase the heat transfer area. Keeping this as baseline, proposed different approaches in order to dissipate more heat through the radiator with the help of uniform directed cooling airflow. Extensive analytical calculations has carried out to prove the improvement in radiator thermal efficiency. Side & vertical shielding around periphery of Radiator has designed in Mechanical & Automatic layout. Cooling drag has taken into consideration in automatic layout to optimize heat dissipation through radiator. Conclusion: • Uniform Heat Dissipation especially at all corner of Radiator due to guiding of Airflow. • Proposed cooling system regulates engine surface temperature for optimum efficiency & thus enhancement in overall Engine Life. • The rate of heat transfer enhancement found ~ 4 to 29% with proposed Side & Vertical shield layout. • Improvement in Radiator efficiency results in better Engine Fuel consumption. • The rate of cooling drag has increased up to ~3 to 12.5%, which can minimized by Perforation holes on side & vertical shielding.