ICA Press Releases on CuproBraze
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Brazed Copper-Brass Simplifies Charge Air Cooling System for Clean Diesel
CuproBraze® Technology Results in Superior Performance and Cost Savings
The International Copper Association announces that, for cooling of the air charge in new clean diesel engine systems, a CuproBraze system with no pre-cooler significantly reduces overall costs compared to systems that rely on a pre-cooler.
Current charge-air-cooler (CAC) designs are becoming obsolete because of the high pressures and high temperatures reached by modern turbo-compressors. Current designs of brazed aluminum cores lose their strength at elevated temperatures, so manufacturers are facing challenges in the design of CAC systems.
A recent cost analysis compares 1) an aluminum CAC with a pre-cooler, and 2) a larger CuproBraze® CAC with no pre-cooler. The analysis estimates that the larger copper-brass CAC might cost approximately 20 percent more than the aluminum CAC in the pre-cooler solution. The cost of the pre-cooler can be estimated at about 70 percent of the cost of the aluminum CAC, but the CuproBraze solution incurs zero cost for a pre-cooler since there is no pre-cooler. Finally, a reasonable assumption is that assembly costs would be one-quarter less for the CuproBraze solution compared to the pre-cooler solution (i.e., 30 percent rather than 40 percent, when indexed to the cost of an aluminum CAC).
In summary, the total cost index of the CuproBraze solution installed in the truck should be 120 for the CuproBraze CAC + 30 for assembly = 150 total; and the total cost index of the pre-cooler solution is estimated at 100 for the CAC + 70 for the pre-cooler + 40 for assembly = 210 total. CuproBraze technology achieves the same result more economically than the alternative material system because the CuproBraze system does not require a pre-cooler.
For more details about CuproBraze technology please visit the website at www.cuprobraze.com or contact the International Copper Association at 260 Madison Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10016-2401 – (212) 251-7245.
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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.