How Thermostat Valves in car cooling system works — carengineered.com

Introduction

Earlier we have discussed the engine and its parts in which we discussed the engine’s cooling system as an overview.

Also, we discussed the function and parts of the radiator that also forms yet another important component for any car’s engine cooling system.

Today we shall be discussing the Thermostat Valve that also forms the main component of any engine’s cooling system.

The function of the thermostat valve is quite simple. It allows the coolant to flow into the radiator to cool down or restricts the flow of coolant when not hot enough.

It also keeps the engine at a constant temperature.

Functioning

When the engine starts the already cooled coolant starts flowing through the engine block.

As the engine gets warmed up such that the temperature reaches 90 degrees Celcius (approx) the thermostat valves opens or in other words contracts paving a passage for the hot coolant to rush into the radiator.

This coolant after reaching the radiator passes through aluminum fins that are arranged parallel to each other working as heat exchangers that allows the hot coolant to lose the heat into the atmosphere allowing the coolant to cool down and then again circulated into the engine to absorb the heat and then again flushing into the atmosphere via the radiator.

This cycle keeps on rotating allowing the engine to cool down constantly and maintaining the engine at a constant temperature.

Working

The thermostat contracts and expands for different temperature ranges due to a small cylinder located inside this device.

This small cylinder consists of a wax that begins to melt around 90 degrees Celcius ( wax melting temperature may vary).

When this wax heats up, it expands allowing a rod connected to it to push out of the cylinder allowing the valve to open.

Similarly, when the wax cools down it changes into a solid form that again pulls back the rod and thus the valve is said to be in a closed position.

The push and the pull of the rod are controlled by a spring mechanism that is also located in this device and connected with the rod.

Conclusion

Hence Thermostat valves depict a sophisticated engineering model embedded with just simple concepts.

Originally published at https://www.carengineered.com on June 11, 2020.