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Why are modern radiators made out of aluminum and not copper? Copper costs a little more, but it is so much easier to work, has a higher coeficient of heat transfer, lasts longer, and is repairable. I would think those benefits would outweigh any weight/cost benefits of aluminum.
1. Aluminum can be shaped into forms that are more efficient than copper.
2. Aluminum costs less and will last as long as the warranty.
3. Aluminum weighs less and from that you get a performance and fuel economy boost.
From a manufacturers standpoint aluminum is the only way to go.
Abe
Most of you may already know about PRC radiators. You can purchase them over at www.streetrodstuff.com They are custom built to your specs also. No more expensive than a copper radiator (i.e. Walker) and actually a little less in my application. Here's a little of the "tech" side of it from that site. They also have testimonials from many satisfied customers. I had a new Walker that came with my car (unfinished project). It would probably have been plenty of radiator for the Pacific NW where the car came from but would never have been up to the task of A/C and traffic on the Mississippi Gulf Coast (it wasn't their "Z" series).
Where cooling is critical and cost is no object (NASCAR, IMSA, etc..) all radiators are aluminum. Hmmmmmm........
I've also read many accounts of Walker radiators leaking either right out of the box or within a few miles after installation. I'm sure that's a small percentage of the total of their sales, though.
Heres the info:
If you are designing/redesigning a cooling system for your car, the utilization of the aluminum radiator is the best overall product on the market for the dollar. This is not to say that the radiators made from copper and brass are not good, and if you have one that works, don't go out and change for the sake of change. But, the choice of aluminum media will outperform their copper counterparts quite easily even though copper is a better conductor of heat. What is a lesser conductor of heat (aluminum) makes up with more surface area available for heat exchange. A 1.25" two-row aluminum radiator will cool just about anything up to 450hp (depending on size of course) if designed correctly and will outperform most 4 or 5 row copper brethren. Not only does aluminum offer a great deal more surface area for cooling, but also are more rigid structures making for a less likely leaky situation. Also to the credit of this technology and the fact that more modern cars are implementing aluminum, more and more vendors are competing in this product line making for very attractive pricing. (When running an aluminum radiator or any aluminum parts in contact with the water jacket, make sure to run a sacrificial anode (usually zinc) to prevent the electro-displacement of the aluminum. This will save the aluminum parts, in short.)