Computational Fluid Dynamics and ε–NTU Based Thermal Performance Analysis of Louvered and Plain-Fin Automotive Radiators under Seasonal Conditions

This research seeks to examine the thermal characteristics of plain finned and louvered finned radiators in various seasonal conditions using analytical methods and computational fluid dynamics. The main aim of this research is to assess the impact of ambient temperatures in different seasons, such as summer, spring, and winter, and the mass flow rates of the coolant on the efficiency of automotive radiator. The results of this research indicate that louver finned radiators have better thermal characteristics compared to plain finned radiators, as they have lower outlet temperatures and higher heat transfer coefficients. The results also indicate that the effectiveness of the radiator is reduced as the mass flow rate of the coolant increases, and that in winter, the radiator has the highest heat dissipation capacity due to the highest gradient between the coolant and the ambient temperatures. The difference between the CFD and analytical methods is also less than 5%, which confirms the accuracy of the model. The significance of this research is based on the fact that it considers realistic seasonal conditions, which are normally not taken into account in most analytical models that assume constant temperatures. The main conclusion of this research is that louver finned radiators have better thermal characteristics than plain finned radiators in all conditions.