- Joined
- Feb 29, 2012
- Messages
- 1,582
- Reaction score
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- Location
- SoCal
- My Car
- 73 Mustang Convertible
Born an I-6, spent the teenage, 20 and 30 years as a 302, but at 40 will reach full potential as a 351C.
Either this evening or tomorrow, I will comparatively test whether a non painted radiator is more efficient at cooling water than a non painted radiator.
Due to unfortunate circumstances, I have 2 modern radiators(non Mustang, but I don't think that matters), meaning plastic top and bottom, aluminum core, 2 core I think. One is painted black, the other is not. Otherwise these are identical...at least they weigh the same.
I intend to perform the following:
Experiment: Comparison of NON Painted Aluminum Radiator Core Performance to an identical Black Painted Aluminum Radiator Core
Hypothesis: Black paint, which may serve as a slight insulator to the thermo-conductivity of a radiator, will, when properly applied to an aluminum radiator core, increase the efficiency of the core and provide a greater cooling capacity than a non-painted aluminum radiator. The reasoning is the black paint will help draw out the infrared energy emitted from the water housed in the radiator. This energy can then be transferred to the cooler ambient air.
Material:
1 Unpainted Aluminum Core Radiator
1 Black Painted Aluminum Core Radiator
Boiling Water(amount to be determined)
Meat Thermometer
Shot Glass(capacity to be determined)
Knot Irish Whiskey(amount to be determined)
Procedure:
1. I chose night to increase the delta between ambient air temperature and radiator temperature. This should in turn decrease the time required for the radiators to cool the water.
2. The radiators, sitting outside adjacent to each other, straddling 2 wooden benches 16" off the ground, will be filled with equivalent quantities of water. Water to be prepared to 212 degrees/100 centigrade, 57' above sea level.
3. Water will NOT be circulated. I can't do everything.
4. Temperature will be measured with my wife's newest meat thermometer(mother's day gift) as it is most likely to yield the highest accuracy. (I have to be careful as she now knows when I am measuring temperature, I promptly seek out one of her tools...but she it out tonight!!!) The accuracy of the thermometer will be tested by placing it in boiling water on the high side, and a glass of Knot Irish Whiskey on ice for the low side.
5. Ambient temperature(air around the radiators) and radiator exterior temperature measurements will be taken between shot's of Knot 100 proof Irish whiskey...so every 10 minutes or so...at no less then 6 locations on each radiator. Temperature of the Knot whiskey will not be taken as this information is irrelevant to the test...but it will most likely be 32 degrees/0 centigrade as I chill it on ice. Oh, what the heck. I will measure the temperature of the whiskey.
6. Once a clear winner has been established, the radiators will be emptied and a second test will be done to confirm the results of the first test. To assure consistency between tests, the equivalent amounts of water in the first test will be used. However, I may rotate through several shot glasses so the amount of Knot Irish Whiskey in any one shot may vary.
7. Results will be posted here so the wise guys can ignore them.
Should anyone reading this post determine there are additional parameters I need to take into account, or any other issues which would provide a more accurate/reliable test, I am open for suggestions.
I would include the table, but it's a mess on the web site.
Due to unfortunate circumstances, I have 2 modern radiators(non Mustang, but I don't think that matters), meaning plastic top and bottom, aluminum core, 2 core I think. One is painted black, the other is not. Otherwise these are identical...at least they weigh the same.
I intend to perform the following:
Experiment: Comparison of NON Painted Aluminum Radiator Core Performance to an identical Black Painted Aluminum Radiator Core
Hypothesis: Black paint, which may serve as a slight insulator to the thermo-conductivity of a radiator, will, when properly applied to an aluminum radiator core, increase the efficiency of the core and provide a greater cooling capacity than a non-painted aluminum radiator. The reasoning is the black paint will help draw out the infrared energy emitted from the water housed in the radiator. This energy can then be transferred to the cooler ambient air.
Material:
1 Unpainted Aluminum Core Radiator
1 Black Painted Aluminum Core Radiator
Boiling Water(amount to be determined)
Meat Thermometer
Shot Glass(capacity to be determined)
Knot Irish Whiskey(amount to be determined)
Procedure:
1. I chose night to increase the delta between ambient air temperature and radiator temperature. This should in turn decrease the time required for the radiators to cool the water.
2. The radiators, sitting outside adjacent to each other, straddling 2 wooden benches 16" off the ground, will be filled with equivalent quantities of water. Water to be prepared to 212 degrees/100 centigrade, 57' above sea level.
3. Water will NOT be circulated. I can't do everything.
4. Temperature will be measured with my wife's newest meat thermometer(mother's day gift) as it is most likely to yield the highest accuracy. (I have to be careful as she now knows when I am measuring temperature, I promptly seek out one of her tools...but she it out tonight!!!) The accuracy of the thermometer will be tested by placing it in boiling water on the high side, and a glass of Knot Irish Whiskey on ice for the low side.
5. Ambient temperature(air around the radiators) and radiator exterior temperature measurements will be taken between shot's of Knot 100 proof Irish whiskey...so every 10 minutes or so...at no less then 6 locations on each radiator. Temperature of the Knot whiskey will not be taken as this information is irrelevant to the test...but it will most likely be 32 degrees/0 centigrade as I chill it on ice. Oh, what the heck. I will measure the temperature of the whiskey.
6. Once a clear winner has been established, the radiators will be emptied and a second test will be done to confirm the results of the first test. To assure consistency between tests, the equivalent amounts of water in the first test will be used. However, I may rotate through several shot glasses so the amount of Knot Irish Whiskey in any one shot may vary.
7. Results will be posted here so the wise guys can ignore them.
Should anyone reading this post determine there are additional parameters I need to take into account, or any other issues which would provide a more accurate/reliable test, I am open for suggestions.
I would include the table, but it's a mess on the web site.