Thermal performance of automotive radiators made of plastic and stainless steel microtubes

Result code in IS VaVaI
<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00216305%3A26210%2F26%3A0200972" target="_blank" >RIV/00216305:26210/26:0200972 - isvavai.cz</a>
Result on the web
<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X26000432" target="_blank" >https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X26000432</a>
DOI - Digital Object Identifier
<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.csite.2026.107681" target="_blank" >10.1016/j.csite.2026.107681</a>

Result language
angličtina
Original language name
Thermal performance of automotive radiators made of plastic and stainless steel microtubes
Original language description
The thermal performance of low-temperature radiators constructed from staggered banks of stainless steel microtubes (SST unit) and polymeric fibers (PF unit, polyamide 612) was investigated in air cross-flow conditions. Tests were performed in a calorimetric wind tunnel according to automotive standards with air velocities of 2-10 m/s and coolant flow rates of 6-60 l/min. Experimental results demonstrated that airside pressure drops for SST and PF radiators are nearly identical, with a difference of approximately 1 %, showing that tube material did not influence airside pressure drops. Regardless of the 50-time difference in thermal conductivity between stainless steel (12 W/(m & sdot;K)) and polyamide (0.24 W/(m & sdot;K)), the heat transfer rate of the PF radiator was, on average, only 7 % lower than ST, with smaller deviations observed at lower air velocities. The Gaddis and Gnielinski model showed good prediction, with average discrepancies of 3 % for heat transfer rate, 7 % for overall and airside heat transfer coefficients, and 5 % for pressure drops. The results confirm that, when middle buffers are used, polymeric hollow-fiber radiators can be a viable lightweight alternative to metals for low-to-moderate airflow applications (2-10 m/s air speed).
Czech name
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Czech description
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Type
J<sub>imp</sub> - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database
CEP classification
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OECD FORD branch
20303 - Thermodynamics

Project
<a href="/en/project/8I24002" target="_blank" >8I24002: Hollow Fiber Heat Exchangers with Reduced Permeability for Smart Cities</a><br>
Continuities
P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)

Publication year
2026
Confidentiality
S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

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