CFD modeling of surge tank degassing process

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Increasing engine power output and efficiency, whilst still satisfying environmental requirements, have been major objectives for vehicle manufacturers worldwide. An engine cooling system has a great influence on those objectives. The cooling system can not only prevent the internal engine parts from melting due to the heat of the burning fuel, but keep the engine operating temperature at its most efficient level as well. As an integral part of the cooling system, a surge tank serves as a degassing chamber, allowing for continual and effective removal of any vapor (air and/or vaporized coolant). Otherwise, the vapor, if trapped and circulated in the system, may seriously degrade heat transfer effectiveness in the engine water jacket and radiator and erode the water pump due to the implosion of gaseous bubbles. A surge tank provides a huge benefit to the overall cooling system. However, for those surge tanks with relatively high fluid flow rates, it becomes more difficult to de-aerate the coolant due to the fracture of air/vapor into small bubbles. ABC Group Inc. - a Canadian-based tire 1 supplier in automobile industry - designs and produces pressured surge tank/coolant recovery, as one of its important plastic products, for automotive OEMs worldwide. It has been identified by the ABC Group that there is a strong need to improve surge tank designs by having in-depth understanding of the degassing phenomena, involving mixture of liquid coolant, vapor coolant and air.