How Do Radiators Work?
The normal working of a car’s engine requires it to produce a lot of heat. A radiator works to ensure this heat is disposed of off, leaving the engine in a state fit to continue functioning, so that the occupants are safe and comfortable, and no other part of the vehicle gets damaged. It is the center of all the cooling duties. If it were not present, a car’s engine would have overheated and gotten damaged, as well as damaging other parts of the car anytime it was driven.
A radiator on its own cannot dissipate all the heat. There is normally a heat absorbent liquid running through it that carries out the heat, called a coolant. This coolant needs to be regularly replaced, in order for the radiator to continue functioning properly. The same coolant also keeps the engine from freezing up during cold seasons, thereby earning it the name of anti-freeze.
The coolant and radiator normally operate the same way across all engines. The typical material used in the construction of a radiator is aluminum, which is good for drawing out heat. It is also light in weight. The radiator directs the coolant into the inner parts of the engine, to collect the generated heat. This coolant then is directed back into the radiator where it is cooled down, thereby losing the heat. It is flown back into the engine, repeating the cooling process. As long as the vehicle is active and moving, this process continues.
In the past, there was no coolant. Radiators had to work with water. As engines grow bigger and bigger, water could no longer adequately cool them off. It would boil within the engine, thereby damaging it. Coolant could not have come sooner. It has the capability of taking up a lot of heat, more than water ever could, and is, therefore, the ideal solution.
The major problem radiators face is form leaks. Leaking coolant causes it to work slower than usual. The engine can overheat as sludge forms in the radiator. This can cause more damage to other parts of the vehicle. It is after the coolant tubing gets tears that you see such problems arising. Regular inspection is the best way to arrest such occurrences.
Another issue that could crop up in radiators is damaged fan belts. The radiator relies on its fan belt to circulate the coolant into the engine block, and when it stops working, the radiator loses its functionality. There is urgency I the need to fix such problems as soon as they occur. Sometimes, the coolant can leak because the tubing was not fixed tightly. Such an issue can be fixed when the proper attachment of the clamps is done. When all else fails, it is advisable to replace the entire system.