Cooling system specifications

[Paolo Castellano]

....I do understand the big power cars are not running full power until later in the run, but what do these vehicles do for proper cooling?...

Also once they are full power they are covering a mile in 8 sec and as Rich pointed out possibly running a fuel that also cools vs. gas.

....I am not grasping the exact flow path for the radiator in a box setup as opposed to running the stock front cover driven water pump maintaining the usual cooling system pressure supplemented by say a 30 gallon water tank for additional heat sink capacity...

Are you asking how to set the flow path up in a rad-in-a-box situation or why do it or both?  One reason to do it that I like is you can warm the motor and the water in the radiator but keep all the water in the main tank cool and turn that on at the start or during the run.

I don't think there is 'one' rad-in-a-box setup as some have the radiator in the main tank.  For our use I personally don't like that as then again you are warming your main cooling water while warming up the motor. 

As for the flow in our case I mimicked (pretty much copied what I had learned from Sparky) and used a ....



.... 2 pass radiator that is connected to the motor normally but the cooling water enters the ...



... box on the bottom and flows through the bottom half of the radiator, up the other side and back through the top of the radiator and then back to the main tank.  Lots more on it here....

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/Hooley%202013/13%20-%20construction%20menu.html

Sumner

Sumner, thanks for the post!

I had not seen your link when I posted the other day. Since then I have looked at the pictures.

I have had several general conversations with Mike LeFevers over the years about this and I remembered the water tank part of the discussion.

I have since seen the link with your pictures and called Mike again and now I get it! Thanks!

[Jim Phelps]

For the sake of system simplicity and to prevent boil off, does anyone  run a pressurized cooling tank instead of a radiator in a box.

[lsrjunkie]

Jim, That is exactly what I am going to do. Albeit a very low pressure.

[SPARKY]

PLS make sure it has an adequate pop off system---otherwise you may be running a steam balloon that may POP  I had a tank that had 1/2" vent line it ballooned so much that it distorted and displaced outer skin panels creating a forced an unwanted turn that let to a 245mph exit speed out through crunchies on a lisc. pass years ago

[lsrjunkie]

Got it covered Sparky! 4 PSI cap with a vent line that makes a few loops to let steam out, and keep the water in. Should keep things from getting too hairy. When we built the tank we tested it to 20 PSI with no evidence of leaks or distortion.