Systems and methods for multi-core radiators

A method of controlling a flow of a cooling fluid through a radiator system having a plurality of radiator cores, the method comprising:

• flowing the cooling fluid through the radiator system and an internal combustion engine, the radiator system comprising a first radiator core and a second radiator core;
• sensing a first temperature of ambient air with an ambient air temperature sensor;
• comparing the first temperature of ambient air to a first threshold ambient air temperature;
• sensing a speed of a fan configured to drive the ambient air across the first radiator core and the second radiator core;
• comparing the sensed fan speed to a threshold fan speed;
• sensing a temperature of the cooling fluid flowing through the radiator system;
• comparing the sensed temperature of the cooling fluid to a threshold cooling fluid temperature;
• opening a first valve positioned on an inlet manifold of the radiator system to allow for parallel flow of the cooling fluid through the first radiator core and the second radiator core if the first temperature of ambient air is greater than or equal to the first threshold ambient air temperature, the sensed fan speed is greater than or equal to the threshold fan speed, or the sensed temperature of the cooling fluid is greater than or equal to the threshold cooling fluid temperature;
• and
• closing the first valve to reduce the flow of the cooling fluid through the first radiator core if the first temperature of ambient air is below the first threshold ambient air temperature, the sensed fan speed is below the threshold fan speed, or the sensed temperature of the cooling fluid is below the threshold cooling fluid temperature.

A radiator system for cooling an internal combustion engine, the radiator system comprising:

• a first radiator core having a first inlet and a first outlet;
• a second radiator core having a second inlet and a second outlet;
• an inlet manifold connected to the first inlet and the second inlet;
• an outlet manifold connected to the first outlet and the second outlet;
• a cooling fluid circuit configured to circulate a cooling fluid through the inlet manifold, the first radiator core, the second radiator core, the outlet manifold, and the internal combustion engine;
• a first valve positioned on the cooling fluid circuit to control a flow of the cooling fluid through the first radiator core, wherein the first valve can be:
• opened to allow for parallel flow of the cooling fluid through the first radiator core and the second radiator core between the inlet manifold and the outlet manifold;
• and
• closed to interrupt the flow of the cooling fluid through the first radiator core between the inlet manifold and the outlet manifold;
• a controller;
• and
• a memory device including:
• threshold ambient air temperatures correlated to reference ambient air temperatures, wherein differences between operating temperatures of the cooling fluid of the internal combustion engine and the reference ambient air temperatures lead to thermal fatigue cracking in the first radiator core or the second radiator core;
• and
• instructions that, when executed by the controller, cause the first valve to open or close to reduce thermal fatigue and associated cracking induced in the first radiator core or the second radiator core caused by ambient air temperatures below the threshold ambient air temperatures.