HOW DOES A RADIATOR WORK?

Depending on the application, a radiator can either decrease or increase the temperature of the system it is employed in. It is common to use radiators to maintain warmth in homes during cold weather conditions. However, in automobiles, radiators are used to decrease the temperature of the engine. Similar to the steering fluid which forms a main component of the steering system, and the refrigerant which plays a key role in air conditioning systems, radiators use coolants to help attain and maintain the optimal temperature in the engine. The coolant is usually a mixture of water and ethylene glycol. The coolant also has other additives to prevent corrosion, erosion and cavitation in various engine parts.

Older vehicles used water to bring down the temperature of the engine. To improve the cooling performance in various temperatures, coolant were then introduced in automobiles. To endure the high and low climatic temperatures in which the vehicles are operated, coolants have high boiling points and very low freezing point temperatures.