Stove radiator and car cooling radiator: features and differences

The engine cooling radiator and heater radiator are separate elements of the internal cooling system of the car. They are similar in device, but the main purpose is different. Let's consider the differences between the heater radiator and the cooling radiator.

What is a cooling radiator in a car

The engine cooling radiator is located in the front of the engine compartment. Air enters it. It cools the antifreeze heated by the engine, passing through the system. If the power of the natural flow generated when the car is moving is not enough, a fan is activated in the system. It is also activated if the car is moving very slowly in a traffic jam. This is necessary so that the temperature of the motor is always within the normal range, and it does not overheat.

The engine cooling radiator is made in a simple design. It consists of radiator tanks located on the sides or top and bottom. Connecting tubes are installed between them. Antifreeze flows through them from the top and is cooled as it goes down.

Radiators differ in the materials that are used in the construction of their elements. If the radiator tanks are made of plastic, the device is lighter and cheaper. Metal radiator tanks are more durable. Such a radiator is more expensive, but it is more reliable and durable, so you get savings on repairs, it serves longer. Between the tubes in the heat exchanger there are strip plates. They increase the surface area for heat generation, I make the whole system more durable.

The main characteristics of the car heating radiator:

• The materials are corrosion resistant and withstand the aggressive effects of antifreeze.
• Radiator tanks and pipes maintain their tightness under the pressure that can form when antifreeze overheats.
• A quality engine cooling radiator can withstand the vibrations that occur when the car is moving.
• The materials of the system are resistant to temperature fluctuations.
• The design uses elastic gaskets made of materials resistant to reagents.
• The push-through strength of the heating radiator is the ability of the materials to resist external impact. This is a weak point of automobile radiators, since most often they are damaged by such pressure.

What is a cabin heater radiator

The heater radiator is designed to heat the air in the cabin. It also additionally cools the antifreeze. By design, it is similar to the engine cooling radiator. The difference is that it has a smaller size. There are a few more features in the design of the radiator of heating in the car:

• The automobile heating radiator has a thicker core. The engine cooling radiator has a thinner core. This saves space under the hood and needs room for air to flow freely through the system.
• There is much less hydraulic resistance in heating radiators. Therefore, more tubes can be installed in them and a turbulizer-swirler can be added to the system.
• Since the heater radiator is installed in an isolated place, under the front panel in the cabin, it is protected from dust and debris, so it is cleaned infrequently.

The cooling radiator plays a major role in controlling engine temperature. The main task of the car heater is to heat the passenger compartment. However, it additionally cools the engine, making both of these systems important elements in protecting the car from overheating.