NEW YORK -- Brazed copper-brass heat exchangers are now replacing aluminum heat exchangers in passenger cars. The International Copper Association (ICA) announces that automotive giants, including GMC and Ford, have adopted CuproBraze(R) products for select applications, offering several advantages over their aluminum counterparts.

Heat exchangers made of copper and brass are more efficient than those made of aluminum, meaning they can provide the same heating or cooling capacity in a smaller envelope. The CuproBraze technology joins new alloys of copper and brass with a filler metal that melts at a relatively high brazing temperature. This results in joints that are much stronger than soldered joints; and, unlike welding, brazing does not melt the base metals, so the dimensions can be tightly controlled and dissimilar alloys can be joined. There are also environmental benefits to switching from aluminum to copper-brass. Copper is highly recyclable, so the use of copper-brass heat exchangers represents a sustainable technology.

As CuproBraze designs catch up with aluminum designs for passenger vehicle applications, CuproBraze manufacturers are also gaining confidence in the scalability of the process. They are becoming more adept with the new technology, and several high-volume manufacturing plants are now in operation.

SHAAZ, a Russian manufacturer, makes an integrated charge-air cooler and radiator package used in nearly all of the new designs of URAL trucks. In recent news, CuproBraze radiators from SHAAZ are now also being used in Izh passenger cars. Dayton, KY-based RADAC has been receiving aftermarket orders for radiators for high-performance racing cars.

Astro Air makes OEM heat-exchanger cores for Hummer, Ford GT, Lotus and Rover. "We are doing quite a bit of business and most of it is with passenger vehicles," says Zach Riddlesperger, vice president of operations for Jacksonville, TX-based Astro Air. "Copper-brass heat exchangers can be made smaller and that is the main reason why our customers keep coming back to us."

Given the advantages of copper-brass over aluminum, more and more makes and models of passenger vehicles are expected to adopt CuproBraze for heat exchanger cores. As older production facilities are phased out and new facilities built, automakers and design engineers will choose CuproBraze over aluminum.

For technical information, contact the International Copper Association, (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.