Assessing the effect of dirt on the performance of an engine cooling system
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Date
2009-08-12
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Abstract
This thesis looked at the effect of sand blocking the heat transfer area of the radiator and its effect on the engine coolant through the conduct of experiments and a mathematical model developed. The results indicated that the percentage area covered resulted in a proportional increase of the inlet and outlet temperatures of the coolant in the radiator. The mathematically model developed also predicted the experimental data very well. Regression analysis pointed out that every 10% increase area of the
radiator covered with silt soil resulted in an increase of about 1.7 oC of the outlet
temperature of the radiator coolant. Similarly, using clay as a cover material, 10% of the area covered of the radiator resulted in an increase of about 2 oC of the outlet temperature of the radiator coolant.
Statistical analysis pointed to the fact that the result obtained for clay, silt and the mathematical model were not significantly different. Thus, irrespective of the type of material that blocks the radiator surface area, the coolant rises with proportion of the radiator covered.
Description
A Thesis submitted to the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering.