A radiator is any device that emits a form of radiation. It is also a common term for a heat exchanger. Radiators can be used in automobiles, buildings, and electronics. Radiation generally means the transmission of objects or information from a source into a surrounding medium or destination. ... A heat exchanger is a device for transferring heat from one fluid to another, where the fluids are separated by a solid wall so that they never mix. ...

Automobiles

In automobiles with an internal combustion engine, a radiator is connected to channels running through the engine and cylinder head, through which is pumped a liquid. This liquid is typically a mixture of water with ethylene glycol (a.k.a. antifreeze). The fluid moves in a closed system from the radiator to the engine, where it conducts heat away from the engine parts. It then flows through a thermostat (controlling the rate of flow) back to the radiator, where it is cooled again by convection with the air. This process cools the entire engine.
See also intercooler. A small variety of cars, the most popular kind of automobile. ... An internal combustion engine is an engine that is powered by the expansion of hot combustion products of fuel directly acting within an engine. ... An engine is something that produces some effect from a given input. ... The cylinder head of a BMW In an internal combustion engine, the cylinder head sits atop the cylinders and consists of a platform containing most part of the combustion chamber and the location of the valves and spark plugs. ... A pump is a mechanical device used to move liquids or gases. ... A liquid will assume the shape of its container. ... A falling water droplet Water (from the Anglo-Saxon and Low German wæter) is a colourless, tasteless, and odourless substance that is essential to all known forms of life and is the most universal solvent. ... Ethylene glycol (IUPAC name:ethane-1,2-diol) is a chemical compound widely used as an automotive antifreeze (coolant). ... Antifreeze is a water-based liquid coolant used in gasoline and diesel engines. ... A thermostat is a device for maintaining the temperature of a system within a range by controlling the flow of heat energy into or out of the system. ... For the Australian rock group, see Intercooler_(band). ...

Buildings

A household radiator

In buildings, a radiator is a heating device, which is warmed by hot water being pumped into it from a water heater. Hot water enters at one end and rises to the top of the radiator. As it gives out its heat, it cools and sinks to the bottom of the radiator and then is forced out of a pipe at the other end. If there is air trapped inside the radiator, then the water cannot rise to the top, and only the bottom area gets hot. A bleed screw near the top of the radiator allows the trapped air to be 'bled' from the system, and thus restore correct operation. The air near a radiator is heated and produces a convection current drawing in cold air to heat. If setup improperly they can make loud banging noises like someone hammering on the pipes. This is due to the pipes rubbing on surrounding surfaces while expanding and contracting due to heat changes. Stereotypical radiators (as pictured) are no longer common in new construction. The current trend in radiant heating is towards floor heating, where the hot water is circulated under the entire floor of each room in a building. Download high resolution version (1665x1494, 380 KB)A radiator. ... Download high resolution version (1665x1494, 380 KB)A radiator. ... Building is either the act of creating an object assembled from more than one element, or the object itself; see also construction. ... HVAC may also stand for High-voltage alternating current HVAC is an initialism that stands for heating, ventilation and air-conditioning. This is sometimes referred to as climate control. ... Convection is the transfer of heat by the motion of or within a fluid. ...

Electronics

In electronics, a radiator is also known as a radiating element. Radiating elements are a basic subdivision of an antenna. Radiating elements are capable of transmitting or receiving electromagnetic energy. Electronics is the study and use of electrical devices that operate by controlling the flow of electrons or other electrically charged particles in devices such as thermionic valves and semiconductors. ... Generally, an element is a basic part that is the foundation of something. ... A yagi antenna Most simply, an antenna is an electronic component designed to send or receive radio waves. ... Electromagnetism is the physics of the electromagnetic field: a field, encompassing all of space, composed of the electric field and the magnetic field. ... Energy is a fundamental quantity that every physical system possesses; it allows us to predict how much work the system could be made to do, or how much heat it can exchange. ...