Just two cents from a mechanical engineer. 

Don't know squat about the demo with water poured on a hot radiator.

Could part of the problem be that the water poured on the radiator (oil
cooler) boils at 212F?  This water will evaporate at lower temperatures.  I
know.  I've seen puddles evaporate in Kansas City, and its not been that
hot.  And the latent heat of vaporization is tremendous.  It will carry off
alot of heat when it evaporates.

Liquid water will absorb heat at one btu per one degree fahrenheit per one
pound of water. Its a definition.  Vaporizing water is one of those things I
used to know.  (Where are those darn steam tables?)  Any way, heat transfer
to vaporizing water is a lot more.

If the demo has been recalled accurately, I think the explanation is that
the surface of the radiator gets raised to 212F which may be higher than it
would be without the water.  (I don't know.)

Funny thing, this thermo and heat transfer.  

BTW the crud in tap water would not be a desirable deposit on your oil
cooler or your air conditioner.  Use distilled water.  Another BTW, if the
water is sufficiently atomized, its surface area becomes incredible, and
will evaporate in the air thereby cooling it to a known degree.  What is
that known degree you may ask?  Why its the dew point temperature, of course.

>                      RE>>fizzix ?                                 7/18/95
>