AVAILABLE FOR LICENSING

Technology Development &

Commercialization

Hybrid Radiator-Cooling System

(ANL-IN-11-096)

A more efficient cooling system for highway trucks

Current Challenges
Coolant radiators in highway trucks are designed to transfer
maximum heat at a design condition. The current standard design
condition is a fully-loaded truck climbing up Baker Grade on the
hottest summer day. The coolant system, including radiator, is sized
to remove 100% of the required heat from the engine at the design
condition without boiling the coolant, which results in a large
radiator. Consequently, the radiator is oversized for most driving
conditions. In some applications the radiator size is limited by the
vehicle frontal area, and the engine power may be limited by the
radiator size. The key factor affecting the radiator size is the heat
transfer coefficient of the outside air flowing over it. If this
coefficient is increased, the radiator can be more efficient. A smaller
radiator may be sufficient for the same engine, or more heat could be transferred from an existing radiator, allowing for a bigger
engine.

The Solution
Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory have made novel modifications in the design of coolant radiators that provide a
better air-side heat transfer coefficient. The new design is a Hybrid Radiator-Cooling System that utilizes conventional finned air
cooling under most driving conditions that would be sufficient to remove all of the required engine heat. Under extreme driving
conditions, additional active evaporative cooling is employed to remove the total heat load. In this Hybrid Radiator-Cooling
System, depending on the need of heat transfer, only at or very near the thermal design condition, the active heat transfer
mechanism is deployed increasing the heat transfer coefficient in a conventional radiator. In detailed computational analysis, the
Hybrid Radiator-Cooling System increased heat transfer rate up to 46%.
There are two primary applications for the Hybrid Radiator-Cooling System. An existing engine can function with a smaller
radiator and cooling system, or an existing radiator and cooling system can support a larger engine. Both applications are of
interest to segments of the automotive industry.

Benefits
The Hybrid Radiator-Cooling System that:
Delivers a 46% higher heat removal over conventional radiator.
Has a smaller radiator that reduces parasitic losses and provides for a more aerodynamic front design.
Makes it possible to equip highway trucks with higher horsepower engines.

ANL-IN-11-096

Applications and Industries

A better cooling system for

highway trucks; and

other diesel engines

Development Status
The Hybrid Radiator-Cooling System was analyzed
numerically at Argonne National Laboratory in combination
with a 500 horse power Cummins Class 8 diesel engine and
its performance compared with the conventional cooling
system.

Licensing Status
This technology is available for licensing and partnership development.

Contacts
For partnering with Argonne, contact

For technical information, contact:

Technology Development and Commercialization (TDC)

Argonne National Laboratory
9700 S. Cass Avenue
Argonne, IL 60439
partners@anl.gov

David M. France
Energy Systems (ES)
Argonne National Laboratory
9700 S. Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439
dfrance@uic.edu
630.252.7361

Acknowledgement:
The research leading to the invention was supported by the Office of Vehicle Technologies Program of the US Department of
Energy under contract number DE-Ac02-06CH11357 at Argonne National Laboratory.

C O N TA C T > Technology Development & Commercialization | 630.252. 7617 | p artne rs@ anl. go v | www.anl.gov/t e ch no lo gy
Argonne National Laborator y, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Lemont, IL 60439

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