Kenlowe Fans - again;again!!

Jun 19, 2008 8 Replies

Forgive an old fart (state pension next month - thanks guys for continuing to work and pay for it!!!!)



Advice recieved from one of the (heavy off-road) stands at the recen LRW event was in terms of the fan blowing forwards/back through the radiator. This does't seem to make sense but input welcome


The fan either has to blow air from the front through the rad, or suck air through the rad from behind (i.e. in the engine bay).

If it blows the opposite way in either scenario it's actually drawing the air the wrong way.

Think of it as a aircraft with the props reversed. Bugger all use to anyone.

Lee D

I would guess that means blowing or sucking from in front or behind the radiator. Fan designs vary in efficiency - some better "sucking", some "blowing". As for what's best, I think the jury is still out. Some propellers have 2 sets of blades contra-rotating, the first set changes the angle of entry for the second making it more "efficient".

*efficiency in a fan can mean different things - large mass/low pressure, small mass/high pressure, low noise/high power etc depending on the application.

I think the reason for this is tied up with the "(heavy off-road)" . Under those conditions forward speed will be low but the engine may be working hard. So there will be little natural airflow through the radiator so a fan pulling air out of the engine bay through the radiator will be the best way to cool things. Of course this is not the case with the majority of road users.

Jeff

That's absolutely the worst way to get decent low speed cooling - you're blowing hot under bonnet air through the radiator which gives minimal cooling.

Instead of forcing air across the block it would lightly draw, some areas would have nil air flow. Then the air out through the radiator would be hot before it even starts.

And when it kicks in when the vehicle is in motion you may as well dump your battery in a bucket of water.

It would be like trting to run against storm winds.

Lee D

Kenlowe also advise getting the fan blade as close as you possibly can to the radiator fins, to ensure that air isn't going to be drawn from the sides, but as much as possible through the radiator instead. 1/2" gap is going to make a big difference to efficiency when you're stationary.

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