Copper?

[Remps]

Was reading up on different metals ability to transfer heat,and copper transfers heat almost twice as good as aluminum.Why don't they make IC's out of copper,even just the 'fins'?Heat issues?Too weak?I am building a custom intercooler,and was thinkin of recoring it with copper.Also it holds about 9 litres of fluid volume,do you think it'll be laggier than stock IC?Opinions?

[burnt_servo]

copper i s much much heavier than aluminum .

i haven't checked the price of metals lately , but last summer copper was worth several times more than aluminum by weight , for scrap .

aluminum also tends to be much stiffer than copper .

[Remps]

Not really worried about weight.I was thinkin double layer of alloy screen would protect it,unless I can find something better.Just seen that Whipple Industries makes a copper IC to go with their superchargers.I got very little money invested in this project so far,and in no hurry to finish it.And a new one ain't cheap,so I think I will talk to some rad shops and check it out.

[crewcabxlt]

as far as laggier with a bigger intercooler, i run an 06 dodge in my ford .we have another truck with the stock 1st gen in it, i dont notice any difference in spool-up. the 06 is twice the size i bet. cools twice as well too. ive wondered about copper, why not?

[dvst8r]

Expense.

The company I work for builds custom AC units for mining, operation, in those we use a proprietary copper copper core evap setup, where most units will use a copper aluminum. This way we can get far better temperature drop across the core, in a smaller package, but the custom cores are 3 times more then the copper aluminum ones.

[Begle1]

Ya know, if you could find a refer unit off a semi trailer... They've got some big, big copper condensers and evaporators that'd probably work pretty good...

Might be a bit of a flow limiter. You might need to put two or three in parallel to get enough flow...

[Remps]

You should try it Begle1!Just kidding,I know you hate air to air coolers.I wonder if I brought a shop the copper if it would save me money?Anyways for now I will run it as is,hopefully pickin it up from the machine shop tmo.Then I have to clean the s**t out of it inside and out.Shavings got inside when I cut 6" off the bottom of it.Then I will see how many holes 80 psi can make,fix the holes,then dye test it.I am guessing every pressed in tube will leak dye out the ends,if so I will get those welded too.Might have to relocate battery tray,and for sure have to move the rad overflow.If I can get it Copper recored for under a 1500,I will get it done when money allows.I will also post EGT differences when I get it installed.

[Begle1]

You know, the logic we had back when I was into PC modification was that aluminum radiated heat to air faster, while copper conducted heat through itself faster. Hence why a heatsink with aluminum fins and a copper core spreading the heat to those fins was the best combination.

Read post #14.

http://www.techimo.com/forum/processors ... num-2.html


In the case of an intercooler, I would think that aluminum's better radiating properties would be preferrable over copper's better heat conduction and retaining properties. Maybe the copper would have a benefit over a short burst whereas aluminum would be better under a constant high load.

[dvst8r]

It is pretty much a purely cost thing. If you think about it, a good aftermarket intercooler runs about $1500, so triple that and you are looking at $4500 for just an intercooler.

A condenser or a set of condensers in parallel I really doubt would work, the flow restriction would be huge. There really just isn't a ton of cfm moved through an AC system.

[Remps]

Hmm..Good stuff to know,thanks.So copper bonded tubes(or pure copper tube$) with aluminum fins would work better then.Alloy fins are sturdier anyway,so that's a plus.

[Richie O]

My only observation would be baseboard heat in a house. They are a copper tube with aluminum fins. I would assume its that way for a reason. Must get the best bang for the buck. All the technical talk above just crosses my eyes.