A car radiator is designed to exchange the hot air from the engine with cool air from outside, allowing the whole system to be constantly cooled and maintain a safe working temperature. Lets find out how a Copper Brass Radiator optimises heat exchange.
Copper is highly conductive, the heat is transferred into the radiator quicker, and so swapped out for cool air much quicker too, thus making your radiator much more efficient overall.
Compared to cheaper aluminium radiators, the functionality of copper radiators far exceeds anything aluminium can offer, so we would always recommend a copper radiator as the most efficient radiator for your vehicle.
Five Key Benefits Of Choosing a Copper Radiator over Aluminum
Efficiency
As we stated in the introduction, the thermal conductivity of copper is far superior to Copper radiators have been in use since the 19th century, and the main reason has been that we haven’t found a superior metal to copper for the job.
Copper has a thermal transfer rate of 92%, which means that 92% of the heat that comes into contact with copper is conducted through it and into the radiator to be cooled, this is almost an instantaneous transfer of all the heat energy in contact with the copper.
Aluminium comes in at less than half of that, meaning it takes twice as long, or more, to remove the same amount of heat that copper can in less than half the time.
Durability
Copper is extremely robust and hardy as a We all know how difficult it is to bend a penny but also know how easy it is to crush an aluminium can.
This may not seem a fair comparison due to the thickness of the materials, but overall copper has a greater resistance to temperature and pressure than aluminium does and will last a lot longer as a result.
Copper has a melting point of over 1000⁰C whereas aluminium is 660⁰C. Your engine should never reach either of these temperatures, but in terms of prolonged use at high temperatures, copper will be able to withstand the heat much longer than aluminium can.
This extra durability ensures that whilst a copper brass radiator can be a more expensive initial purchase, the absence of many repairs will be sure to save you money in the long run.
Resistance and Flexibility
Copper is also highly resistant to corrosion in the presence of moisture which your radiator will have plenty of from the air moving through Aluminum is too, as they both create oxide coatings on their surface which prevents them from further damage and corrosion. Aluminum has this naturally, as soon as it comes into contact with air. Copper Oxide develops over time in the presence of moisture and is the green substance you can often find on copper piping, this is just a surface-level issue and ensures that no further corrosion takes place.
Furthermore, copper is less prone to hardening and becoming brittle over time due to exposure to temperature, pressure and moisture. As aluminium hardens, it becomes more
brittle and breaks easier. A copper brass radiator maintains its properties and flexibility for its entire lifetime which means that you will have fewer breakdowns, fewer fixes and so fewer bills overall.
A Copper Brass Radiator Means Less Parasitic Engine Loss
Parasitic drain is something that occurs when there is a malfunction in the car’s electronics. Even when everything is switched off, electrical components can pull energy from the battery, so that when you go to start your car, there is nothing left to start it with.
Parasitic drain happens for many reasons, but faulty electronics are always the cause. Ensuring your radiator is more reliable and durable ensures there is little chance of a fault causing a parasitic drain on the battery.
Greater Fuel Economy
Despite radiators existing to cool vehicles, one thing has been clear to engineers for decades. The hotter and engine, the more efficient it is. However, we have limitations due to the materials and components in the engine and the temperatures they can Aluminium is often used in piston heads, and high-temperature ceramics are too expensive to replace for everyday vehicles. If the aluminium gets too hot, then the effects can be catastrophic.
And so we use a radiator, to ensure that our vehicle stays within the healthy working temperature range for the engine.
The better your radiator is at its job, the more efficiently the engine runs. The more efficiently an engine runs, the greater the fuel economy. Saving you money in the long run, and improving the longevity of your engine and other components too.
Increased Radiator Durability
To conclude, we know that all materials have their purpose, and certain materials will work best for certain jobs. And whilst there may be some exceptions to this rule, we believe that copper radiators are the best radiators for your vehicles.
Copper Brass Radiators are more efficient, durable and resistant than aluminium and alternatives. They also ensure your battery health remains in a stable condition and that your overall fuel economy increases thanks to the efficiency of the radiator.
So if you’ve been considering upgrading or changing your radiator, take it from the experts, copper is the only way to go.
