Richard E. Longhouse

Electric Cooling Fan with High Ram Airflow - A Fuel Economy Improvement - (Part One - The Vehicle) (Part Two - The Fan) (Part Three - The Electric Fan Cooling Package Assembly)

The 1980 front-wheel-drive-car engine cooling system is designed to aid in maximizing fuel economy. An electrically driven fan was selected to provide airflow to meet the above objective. Several other design objectives such as light weight and low noise level are also very well satisfied by the electric fan. This paper describes the strategy and techniques used to meet the fuel economy improvement goal while still providing acceptable engine cooling and the airflow required for adequate air conditioning condensing. This strategy consisted of maximizing ram airflow via methods of wind tunnel, flowmeter and on road development. The heat exchangers where then sized to perform adequately with only ram airflow in a road load condition. Finally the additional airflow required at idle and at high heat rejection points was determined. A high peak efficiency fan was selected to provide the airflow needed when operating near its maximum efficiency.