At present, the radiator materials provided by Chinese radiator manufacturer are basically divided into two types: aluminum and copper. Today we will compare and analyze the thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity of aluminum and copper, hoping that everyone could choose a suitable radiator.
1. Thermal conductivity: Thermal conductivity refers to the heat transfer through an area of 1 square meter within a certain period of time for a 1m thick material with a temperature difference of 1 degree (K, ℃) on both sides under stable heat transfer conditions. Is watt/meter·degree (W/(m·K), where K can be replaced by ℃)
2. Specific heat capacity: The heat absorbed by a unit mass of a substance with a temperature increase of 1°C (or the heat released by a decrease of 1°C) is called the specific heat capacity of this substance, abbreviated as: specific heat, which is represented by the letter "c".
ALUMINUM RADIATOR：
Aluminum heat dissipation material has become one of the most widely used heat dissipation materials due to it’s economic price. Aluminum has the characteristics of low density, good ductility and easy processing. However, the hardness of pure aluminum is insufficient and the cutting performance is not good. Therefore, in actual production, our Changzhou ADV heat exchanger uses aluminum alloy to make the actual cooler (aluminum accounts for about 98% of the total composition) in order to ensure that the product has the appropriate hardness. Of course, doping with other metals will reduce the heat dissipation performance. But the thermal conductivity of aluminum is 237. Compared with copper, although the thermal conductivity is not good, the higher specific heat capacity enables aluminum to reduce the same temperature while reducing more heat.
Thermal conductivity of aluminum: 237
The specific heat capacity of aluminum: 0.88×103 J/(kg·℃)
COPPER RADIATOR:
Compared with aluminum, the thermal conductivity of pure copper is 401, which is nearly double that of aluminum. So, under normal circumstances, the conductivity of copper is very strong. However, although copper has good thermal conductivity, the copper radiator has a small specific heat capacity and a relatively slow heat dissipation speed, which causes heat accumulation. It requires a high-power and high-speed fan to achieve the ideal heat dissipation effect. In addition, copper is more expensive and difficult to process. Its excessive weight also brings some troubles to installation.
Thermal conductivity of copper: 401
The specific heat capacity of copper: 0.39×103J/(kg·℃)
A good radiator is not just about its material selection. From the overall design of the radiator, the fins of the radiator can increase its contact area with the air, and the fan is used to accelerate the air flow to take away the heat sink...So, the fin area of the radiator, the air volume of the fan, and good industrial design are all important indicators that directly affect the performance of the radiator.
Dear ADV customers, please don't just judge the radiator quality only from the material, we need to judge its performance comprehensively to choose a most suitable one. If you are still confused about these choices, please fell free to contact our Changzhou ADV heat exchanger engineer team, we stay at your disposal anytime.
Annie
Sales Representative