ICA Press Releases on CuproBraze
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OEMs Reach for Brazed Copper Brass
CuproBraze Technology Flourishes in Diverse Applications
NEW YORK – According to the International Copper Association, the list of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) who use brazed copper-brass heat exchanger components continues to grow. As OEM demand heats up for higher volumes of CuproBraze for more applications, heat exchanger manufacturers are adding capacity and increasing production rates.
Cooling for Locomotives
The decision to use CuproBraze for the huge heat exchangers in locomotives is an easy one because no other material system matches CuproBraze with respect to rugged and efficient designs.
MotivePower, a Wabtec Company (Boise, Idaho), uses CuproBraze heat exchangers for diesel-powered commuter trains in service throughout North America. Bombardier Transportation (Västerås, Sweden) uses CuproBraze heat exchangers to cool the transformer oil in electric-powered locomotives. Siemens AG Transportation Systems (Erlangen, Germany) will use CuproBraze technology for select diesel locomotives, including its Asia Runner locomotive for South Vietnam and other Asian markets.
Many of these applications benefit from the FLAT-ROUND® mechanical-bond technology developed by Young Touchstone, a Wabtec Company (Jackson, Tennessee). The radiators incorporate flat brass tubes, transformed to round ends and mechanically bonded into steel headers.
Construction Equipment
The Finnish Radiator Manufacturing Company (Suolahti, Finland), also known as Suomen Jäähdytintehdas Oy, or simply “SJT,” produces radiators and charge air-coolers for a variety of OEM manufacturers of off-road construction equipment in Finland as well as globally. SJT’s OEM customers include Valtra Tractors (Agco Group), Kalmar Industries Inc. (terminal tractors), Avant Tecno Oy (multipurpose machinery) and Junttan Oy (piling rigs). SJT has changed production to about 95 percent CuproBraze and plans to changeover to 100 percent CuproBraze.
Industrial Applications
Stationary power generator sets rely on large heat exchangers for cooling. Kohler Power Systems Americas (Kohler, Wisconsin), a division of Kohler Co., provides complete power systems. It has adopted CuproBraze technology for diesel engine turbocharger air-to-air cooling in many of its “gen sets.” Kohler is one of the largest users of diesel engines for power generation.
An Industry in Transition
It is not possible to name all of the OEMs who have adopted this technology to date, because of nondisclosure agreements. All told, there are about 30 CuproBraze evaluation projects underway globally, mostly by heat exchanger manufacturers. According to Mike Sprenger, Director of Sales & Marketing for Young Touchstone, “In the past several years, OEMs have shown increasing interest in the benefits of this technology. We have successfully tested cooling systems with out customers and are now experiencing the initial waves of demand for CuproBraze. With numerous heavy-duty applications now in production, we are preparing for additional customer demand in all of our global markets.”
For more details about CuproBraze, contact the International Copper Association, (212) 251-7245 or write to ICA at 260 Madison Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10016-2401. Also see the website for the CuproBraze Alliance at www.cuprobraze.com, which includes OEM-specific articles at www.cuprobraze.com/lit_er.asp. ICA is a member of the CuproBraze Alliance.
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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.