Why Do Large Vehicles Need to Add Water?

[LeCamila]

From a functional perspective, the water added to vehicles is actually coolant, which helps dissipate heat from the engine. Here are the specific details: 1. Heat Dissipation: The engine is equipped with a water jacket, which connects to the radiator through upper and lower pipes. When the engine operates, heat from the cylinders transfers to the water in the jacket, causing the water to expand and flow through the upper pipe into the radiator. The heat is then transferred to the radiator, which has numerous metal fins on its surface to radiate the heat away. The cooled water returns to the water jacket via the lower pipe. This continuous water circulation carries heat away from the engine to the radiator for dissipation. 2. Water as a Heat Transfer Medium: Water is chosen for heat transfer due to its cost-effectiveness and high specific heat capacity. This is also why water is still used as a medium in household heating systems. However, using water as engine coolant has drawbacks, such as a low boiling point, high freezing point, tendency to form scale, and corrosiveness. With advancements in technology, water has been largely replaced by more advanced antifreeze coolants.