For What Its
Worth
Radiators, Aluminum vs. Copper/Brass, which is best.
It
depends....
There is a lot more to the design process of a radiator than just the
metal used.
What you want to know is how much heat can be removed from the coolant
and how long of a life can you expect from the radiator. I know, there isn't an industry
standard test for these things, but some companies do have tests and
data.
Most "Racing" equipment is not designed to last thousands of miles on
the road. If all you are going to do is race, then a racing radiator is
fine. If used on the road, make sure it can survive thousands of miles
and all kinds of weather.
A good design will beat out "fancier" materials in an inferior
design. Some things to consider
- Channel thickness, how close the water is to the wall. Too thick, not as efficient, to thin it may bulge or pop.
- Which material and Alloy?
Not all aluminum alloys act alike.
- Distance through the radiator
- Air flow through the radiator
- Car front end design
- Design of the radiator. Fin size and spacing.
- A/C and transmission coolers sharing the air space
- Water flow efficiency
- Water Pump efficiency
- Flow capacity of
Radiator
- Ambient (outside) temperature
- Pressure in the system
- Corrosion
resistance. Corrosion kills efficiency. Also salt and
aluminum are a very bad combination.
- Strength and fatigue
life. How well it survives vibration.
- What is the rating of the Radiator
