The Role of the Radiator Grille in the Organization of Air Supply to the Engine Cooling System

The main function of the radiator grille in a vehicle is to provide supply of air to the cooling system of the internal combustion engine, air conditioner, and other units of the vehicle. Therefore, it must meet certain requirements. In this article the authors consider the influence of the design parameters of the radiator grille (air inlets) on the air flow through the air path of the engine cooling system. The role of the radiator grille in the organization of air supply to the cooling system is assessed. The main factors affecting the air flow are identified, and the mechanism of this phenomenon is investigated using numerical methods of the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software. It has been established that the air flow through the air inlets depends on the flow section as well as on the inlet location, which is associated with the pressure of the oncoming air in this area, and on the air inlet angle.

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