Surface radiators for water cooled engines

In article ,
(Jay) writes:


Mechanical stresses- I can definitly see this would be a problem if
the radiator is a structural element or ridgedly attached to one at
multiple points, but what I'd imagined was some part (or whole) of the
lower cowl. That cowl region being critical because it has access to
that nice cooling turbulent air right behind the propeller. 3 blades
might do better than 2 for this style cooling. The only weight it has
to support is itself. These things are often times fiberglass so they
aren't all that strong.


Surface Area? A standard auto styled radiator has a tremendous serface area
packed into a very small and light package. The air is forced through that
surface area with contact normally on two surfaces as it passes. To obtain the
same surface area on a single sided flat plain would take much more area than
is available on the underside of the cowling. You might be able to get enough
area by using the whole underside of the fuselage but you still don't have the
same type of contact.

From what I've read of the radiator imperical studies from the "golden
age", producing a turbulent flow was key cooling efficiency per unit
area.

For a low speed aircraft (100MPH) an auto radiator makes more sense
than something custom like we're talking about here.


Regards




Bob Reed
www.kisbuild.r-a-reed-assoc.com (KIS Builders Site)
KIS Cruiser in progress...Slow but steady progress....

"Ladies and Gentlemen, take my advice,
pull down your pants and Slide on the Ice!"
(M.A.S.H. Sidney Freedman)