A Penny For Your Thoughts? New Copper Technology May Benefit HVAC Equipment

The International Copper Association, Ltd. (ICA) has unveiled a new technology for use by manufacturers of HVAC equipment. CuproBraze, originally developed for use in vehicular heat transfer applications, may also be appropriate for stationary heat exchangers. It includes a process in which a heat exchanger can be completely brazed in one pass through the furnace. According to the ICA, this allows brass tubes and copper fins to be fabricated into a strong unit with high durability and excellent heat transfer characteristics. The technology consists of anneal-resistant brass tube and copper-fin alloys as well as a filler material for the brazing process. The anneal-resistant alloys can withstand a brazing temperature of 600C without a substantial loss in strength. The patented brazing filler metal developed for joining CuproBraze fins and tubes can be licensed to qualified manufacturers. The filler metal can be processed into the form of a thin foil, paste, or slurry. According to ICA, this provides multiple options for the fabrication of new tube designs, possibly including flat-tube designs for energy-efficient air conditioners, and for the efficient assembly and manufacture of heat-exchanger appliances. For more information, call ICA at 212/251-7240.