The material of the radiator core directly affects the weight of the equipment, heat transfer and maintainability of the unit. Aluminum has long been competing with a traditional copper-brass pair, and the difference between these solutions is noticeable not only in price.
How does an aluminum radiator differ from a copper-brass one?
The HONO-R catalog includes both types of cores, since the choice of material depends on the operating conditions of the equipment, and not only on the budget. Aluminum is almost three times lighter than copper with comparable structural strength, which reduces the overall weight of the assembly and the load on the fasteners.
At the same time, the thermal conductivity of copper is higher, so aluminum radiators compensate for the difference with an increased honeycomb area and thinner partitions between the channels, achieving comparable cooling efficiency.
Advantages of aluminum for special equipment
The main advantage of an aluminum radiator is a reduction in the weight of equipment, which is especially important for mobile units such as compressor stations and generator sets, where every extra kilogram affects transportation.
The second advantage is its resistance to certain types of corrosion: aluminum is not susceptible to electrochemical corrosion when paired with antifreeze in the same way as copper in hard water. You can read more about the technology here: https://hono-r.com/industry/alyuminevye-radiatory /, where the specifics of the production of such units are analyzed.
In which cases is aluminum inferior to copper
Aluminum radiators are more difficult to repair by soldering in the field: aluminum welding technology requires special equipment and a protective environment, whereas copper-brass seams are soldered with tin-lead solder in almost any conditions.
In addition, with strong impacts, aluminum honeycombs deform differently — the metal is more ductile, but returns to its original shape worse, which sometimes complicates recovery from mechanical damage.
How to choose the material for a specific task
If the equipment is stationary and the weight of the unit is not critical, and the park has the possibility of on-site soldering repairs, the copper-brass option remains a practical choice.
For mobile and frequently moved equipment, where weight and moderate corrosion resistance are important, an aluminum radiator usually turns out to be a more balanced solution in terms of a set of characteristics.
In practice, the decision is often made based on the history of the fleet's operation: if previous copper radiators regularly suffered from scale and corrosion, and an aluminum welding workshop is already at the disposal of the service department, switching to the aluminum version becomes the logical next step.
Conclusion
Choosing between aluminum and copper-brass alloy is a compromise.