Laboratory Corrosion Tests on Aluminum Radiator Materials

Before aluminum can be used in automotive radiators and heater cores, assurances are required that corrosion performance will be satisfactory. Accelerated laboratory glassware tests, however, indicate that conventional aluminum brazing sheet materials may not be suitable under service conditions unless significant improvements are made in corrosion resistance and/or coolant inhibition. Although corrosion performance can be greatly improved by utilizing an inner anodic cladding alloy (Alclad concept), fabricating and manufacturing processes would be simplified by using a conventional product in a properly inhibited cooling system.