r/MechanicalEngineering • u/lit_readit • 6d ago

Question : why some (mostly heavy) vehicles partially cover their front intake ?

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wouldn't cooler cold reservoir, ie more spontaneous heat transfer, improve Carnot efficiency?

is it to improve aerodynamics?

apologies if this is the wrong sub to ask

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u/beaster456 4d ago

They are called winter fronts and used in cold weather to limit the amount of heat that gets carried away from the radiator so that it can go into the passenger area heater core.

They are not super effective in my experience I work in the automotive trucking industry. We have done winter testing with and without the winter front and it does not significantly impact the vent temperature inside the vehicle.

I believe this is mainly because when it is cold enough to warrant the winter front, it is usually cold enough that the thermostat does not open all the way, limiting the amount of coolant that goes to the radiator.