The Aluminum radiator has a number of features that make it very attractive for vehicle applications in general. Superior durability and reliability in conjunction with its excellent specific values for costs, performance and weight warrant a favorable solution for Heavy Duty Trucks.
Behr has been supplying Aluminum radiators for trucks in Europe for over 10 years and in North America for 4 years. This paper examines the results based on this long-term experience. It reviews the field experience compared to Copper/Brass radiators, examines design and mounting features as well as the manufacturing processes.
Durability, external and internal corrosion resistance are emphasized as essential characteristics.
A special focus is the thermodynamics of Aluminum radiators. The paper reviews methods to simulate the thermodynamic behavior of radiators and the progress in the specific performance, based on the development of improved radiator core matrices.
Furthermore the paper describes a new, innovative approach to an Aluminum radiator for Heavy Duty Truck Applications, the ALEX -radiator (All Aluminum Heat Exchanger).