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THE COOLANT CHALLENGE

16th April 2009, Page 46
16th April 2009
Page 46
Page 47
Page 46, 16th April 2009 — THE COOLANT CHALLENGE
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Words: Andy Salter

While fuel and lubricants are the 'engine liquids' grabbing most of the headlines when it comes to engine development, the coolant has, arguably, one of the toughest tasks.

The latest and future generation of engines and the emissions technology is putting a strain on the cooling capacity of engines.

Indeed, all the latest new truck generations launched by the manufacturers now come with a larger radiator frontal area and a bigger front grille to improve how air is forced around the engine and keep the temperature down, thus improving the combustion capability of the engines.

With coolants and coolant-related problems responsible for an estimated 20% of vehicle breakdowns, it is absolutely essential your coolant provider is on the top of their game. Chevron, although better known for lubricants, is a leading player in this arena, and is all too aware of the challenges. Paul van de yen is Chevron's coolant specialist and reckons the current generation of Euro-4 and Euro-5 engines are putting 40% more heat into the cooling system than previously the trend for more horsepower and a concentration in output per cubic capacity of engine has forced the issue. He says: "This is an increased issue with continued engine technology and the use of standard lubricants. The higher temperature and pressure were witnessing is causing increased oxidation of the coolant. This is a natural process. but oxidation leads to deposits in the cooling system, which can affect performance and can contribute to failures. New-generation coolant development is essential to avoid coolant degradation."

CM readers won't be surprised to learn Chevron is well placed on this front, with a variety of solutions being worked on. Nanotechnology is one longer-term scientific remedy that is under investigation and may represent significant breakthroughs in the future, but for now, van de Ven has some more readily achievable options. He explains: 'Future coolants must offer optimum economic choice, which means cheaper base fluids are used and offer lower operating costs. While at the same time we must ensure the environmental impact is reduced, requiring careful consideration of the toxicity of the products we're using."

Current generation coolants are ethylene glycol products, using glycol as the base stock. This is an economically favourable solution, made even more so because glycol is a bi-product of the biodiesel process, which should ensure the product is both cheap and readily available. But, says van de Ven, ethylene glycol has poor oxidation stability and the viscosity of the coolant is compromised.

"With the increased levels of oxidation being caused by the engine development trends, the challenge is to find more stable base fluids for our coolants," reports van de Ven, who offers propylene glycol and propane as a potential remedy. However, these come with their own set of challenges, as he explains.

"These new coolant base fluids are more expensive, their availability is limited and, since it is a new chemical, we have low experience of its full capability."

There remains much work to be done before the silver bullet of coolant technology is fired, but in the meantime, there are practical steps operators and drivers can take to ensure their coolant is operating to the optimum. Van de Ven says: "We recommend regular three-to-six-month pH testing of coolants to check the oxidation levels." An acidic value will indicate high levels of oxidation, signalling it's time for a coolant flush, but it may also be an indication of other potential engine issues which require investigation.

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