Everyone finds themselves totally astonished by the price of copper. 25% increase in the last two years and this trend has been going on for much longer. We have now even reached the point where you can spend more than $10k on a tonne of copper. It is being stolen right left and centre and many industries are verging on crisis point. What is the answer for the air conditioning industry? Is it refrigerant aluminium tubing?

With all of this happening, it really isnt a surprise to see that refrigerant aluminium tubing is becoming an increasingly popular material in air conditioning. Of course copper remains an excellent material for air conditioning, but aluminium is looking like a fantastic alternative which is far more cost effective.

Aluminium piping creates savings in multiple different ways. The dies used during the manufacturing process cost less to produce, so as well as being a cheaper material the cost of manufacturing is lower. The dies are not only cheaper, they can be used multiple times, unlike dies used during the manufacture of copper piping the reduction of waste is another way that savings are made. As well as saving money, the lack of waste in the manufacturing process makes aluminium piping more environmentally friendly.

Depending on the specific requirements of an application, multi-layered aluminium brazing sheets can be engineered to cater to specific functions. These composite materials can comprise of up to 5 layers, each serving a unique purpose during the refrigeration process. For example, a custom 3 layer sheet could include a modified alloy layer to protect against corrosion, a core alloy to give it more strength following the brazing process, and a 3rd alloy layer providing the filler metal required for joints.
Of course it isnt just all about the money, there are other benefits too. Using aluminium in air conditioning can actually be better than copper, as well as being cheaper. During building it is far easier to work with aluminium compare to traditional materials because it is much lighter. Although the strength to weight ratio of aluminium is much higher than copper, it is still easier to work with as it is easier to mould. As a flexible material you can use aluminium piping in many scenarios where copper piping could not be used.

Anyone working with air conditioning, ventilation, refridgeration and heating can expect to see a lot more aluminium. Think back over the last decades, we are already seeing aluminium used in many new industries. We will certainly see aluminium used widely in the manufacture of components for heat exchangers, air-con units and extruded tubing.