Design Optimization of Geometric Parameters of Radiator Based on Cooling Module 2022-01-0175

Improving the heat dissipation performance of the engine radiator in the real working environment is of great significance to the cooling of the engines. The purpose of this paper is to study the influence of the radiator’s geometric parameters on its heat dissipation performance in the cooling module environment and optimize the geometric parameters to improve the heat dissipation performance of the radiator. Based on the performance data obtained from relevant component tests and the engine thermal balance test, the simulation model of the engine thermal management system is established, and the reliability of the model is verified. The heat dissipation performances of the single radiator and the radiator in the cooling module are compared by using the validated model. The geometric parameters of the radiator are analyzed and optimized combined with the method of design of experiments to improve the allowable ambient temperature of the cooling system in the actual working environment. Finally, the optimized radiator is verified under three working conditions of 120 km/h+0% slope, 120 km/h+4% slope and 40 km/h+10% slope. The results show that the wind velocity, which in the case of the cooling module means the vehicle velocity, has a critical point. When the wind velocity is higher than the critical point, the heat dissipation performance of the single radiator is better than that of the radiator in the cooling module; and it is the opposite when the wind velocity is lower than the critical point. The heat dissipation performance of the radiator in the cooling module is significantly different in sensitivity to different geometric parameters. After optimization, the allowable ambient temperatures of the cooling system under three working conditions respectively increase by 6.7%, 11.1%, and 10.4%. This study can provide reference and support for the optimal design of vehicle radiators in the future.