New Technology Leads Renaissance in Heat Exchanger Designs, Including Multiport Brass Tubes and One-Shot Brazing, Says ICA

NEW YORK--A new process for brazing copper and brass is proving more flexible and versatile than could be envisioned when the process was first developed more than a decade ago.

Prototype designs have now been revealed for multiport tube assemblies fabricated from two matching CuproBraze alloy strips, which are formed with alternating troughs and flat sections locally rolled together. Even though no brazing paste is applied between the two strips, the joints are strong enough to withstand the normal core assembly procedure. During the ordinary brazing furnace cycle the strip joints obtain their final strength by diffusion. Brazing paste is applied in a usual manner for the tube-to-fin joints, tube-to-header joints and so on.

Another development is the design of products for brazing different types of joints simultaneously, during one pass through the furnace. The CuproBraze process provides enough process latitude to braze different geometries simultaneously in a “one-shot” brazing process.

For more information about new design concepts, see the CuproBraze Executive Report Issue 63 at www.cuprobraze.com/lit_er.asp.

The designs, cooling fluids and end-uses of the next generations of heat exchangers are still a work in progress, but one thing is for certain: A renaissance in heat exchanger design is underway and CuproBraze technology is at the center of it.

The Dubai 2009 Special Technology Seminar

The International Copper Association will host a Special Technology Seminar on October 8, 2009 in Dubai, UAE. The one-day seminar is free-of-charge to engineers and technical managers interested in heat exchangers. The program includes distinguished speakers from the manufacturer/supplier side as well as the OEM/design side. For event details and to register, please go to www.cuprobraze.com/dubai.

About ICA

The International Copper Association, Ltd. (ICA) is the leading organization for promoting the use of copper worldwide. The Association's 38 member companies represent about 80 percent of the world's refined copper output. ICA's mission is to promote the use of copper by communicating the unique attributes that make this sustainable element an essential contributor to the formation of life, to advances in science and technology, and to a higher standard of living worldwide.