Brazing Center Develops Benchmark Charge Air Cooler Design

NEW YORK--Oct. 2, 20050, 2005--The International Copper Association announces that the Brazing Center in Vasteras, Sweden, has developed a benchmark charge air cooler (CAC) design for manufacturers around the globe looking to produce superior heat exchangers.

The CAC, made using CuproBraze(R) technology for brazing copper and brass, has been subject to stringent wind-tunnel tests, cyclic stress tests, and corrosion tests. The results prove that copper-brass CACs are more durable and efficient than their aluminum counterparts.

Until very recently, nearly all CACs were made from aluminum. In the last few years, however, many practical copper-brass CAC designs have been developed.

According to Bengt Gustafsson, Technical Manager for the Brazing Team at the Brazing Center, CAC design is governed by six factors: heat transfer specification; the type of environment, or vehicle type; strength and durability specifications; the weight of finished product; manufacturing considerations; and the projected overall cost.

Based on his testing experiences, Gustafsson offers designers of brazed copper-brass CACs these tips:

-- Control over the fin height is important. In a CAC, the sandwich construction of the tubes and fins does not allow for variations in fin height. Exact part dimensions are required to form good brazed joints between the fins and tubes.

-- If wide headers and thin gauge tanks are used, these parts will deform at relatively low pressures. Headers should be as narrow as possible to limit stresses to the tube-to-header joint and in the header close to the joint.

-- If thin gauge brass tanks are used, they should be well designed for internal pressure, to minimize stresses in the header. "Well-rounded shapes are necessary," cautions Gustafsson.

"The CuproBraze technology represents the future of improved heat exchangers for passenger vehicles and new clean diesel engines," says Nigel Cotton, automotive manager for the International Copper Association. Around the globe, 11 manufacturers are making radiators, charge air coolers and other products on their own dedicated CuproBraze lines. In addition, 12 companies are due to open CuproBraze production facilities, and 80 companies are currently evaluating the technology.

A detailed report on testing procedures and results is available upon request. Contact Cara Clinton at (212) 297-2109. To contact the International Copper Association directly, call (212) 251-7245 or write to ICA at 260 Madison Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10016-2401.

The International Copper Association, Ltd. is the leading organization for the promotion of the use of copper worldwide. The Association's twenty-nine members represent about 80 percent of the world's refined copper output, and its six associate members are among the world's largest copper and copper-alloy fabricators. ICA is responsible for guiding policy, strategy and funding of international initiatives and promotional activities. With headquarters in New York City, ICA operates in 28 worldwide locations through a network of regional offices and copper development associations.