Re: SOME SAGE ADVICE
Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2011 12:03 pm
Ed,
modern alloy radiators are, as Rohan has so accurately described, extremely efficient in doing their job.
The many hundreds of paper thin fins have even more mini fins pierced into them to provide even more cooling area presented to the airflow.
These fins are a push fit over the coolant tubes which in turn are only slightly thicker than the fins themselves.
Earlier alloy radiators did, as you mention, have the fins brazed/soldered to the tubes; a method that does provide better conductivity but the pushed on fins can be much more closely spaced & subsequently make up for that minimal loss of conductivity.
The tube ends maybe either brazed/soldered into the matrix endplates or even be pushed in & sealed with tiny O-Rings.
In order to achieve even better cooling those tubes are often ovalised so that a greater number of tubes may be fitted within a given matrix height.
Unfortunately one of these radiators is not a "radiator for life"
The extremely thin Alloy fins & tubes will succumb to corrosion & leak (irreparably)
Also the very compact fin spacing will clog with insects & rubbish much more quickly than older designs & a blow through with an airline will help occasionally.
My two penneth
Cheers
John
Seems we were hitting the Keyboards simultaneously Rohan!
modern alloy radiators are, as Rohan has so accurately described, extremely efficient in doing their job.
The many hundreds of paper thin fins have even more mini fins pierced into them to provide even more cooling area presented to the airflow.
These fins are a push fit over the coolant tubes which in turn are only slightly thicker than the fins themselves.
Earlier alloy radiators did, as you mention, have the fins brazed/soldered to the tubes; a method that does provide better conductivity but the pushed on fins can be much more closely spaced & subsequently make up for that minimal loss of conductivity.
The tube ends maybe either brazed/soldered into the matrix endplates or even be pushed in & sealed with tiny O-Rings.
In order to achieve even better cooling those tubes are often ovalised so that a greater number of tubes may be fitted within a given matrix height.
Unfortunately one of these radiators is not a "radiator for life"
The extremely thin Alloy fins & tubes will succumb to corrosion & leak (irreparably)
Also the very compact fin spacing will clog with insects & rubbish much more quickly than older designs & a blow through with an airline will help occasionally.
My two penneth
Cheers
John
Seems we were hitting the Keyboards simultaneously Rohan!