Are Three Row Aluminum Radiators Better Than Two Row? (2024)
By DeWitts Radiator
In the old days of copperand brass radiators this was true. More rows meant more surface area in contact with the fin and consequently a higher heat rejection. So a 3 row was better than a two row and so on.
When aluminum radiators came around the rules changed. Cooling engineers concluded that by lowering the fin height you could stack more layers of tubes. In addition, using wider tubes would increase the tube-to-fin contact area. The end result was a very high performance radiator with a huge savings in weight.
The U.S. standard for performance aluminum radiator tubes is a 1.0" wide tube and imported radiators have smaller 16mm (.62") tubes. In this case a 3-Row aluminum radiator would only have a total of 1.86" of tube-to-fin contact surface which is less than the two row core with 1" tubes. The online ads for these 3-Row aluminum radiators will indicate several features of the radiator design but they avoid the issue of the tube width. DeWitts radiator goes another step and offers a two row core with 1.25" tubes or (2.5") tube-to-fin contact and this would again exceed the performance of a 4-row imported core design. So, if you are researching your next purchase ask about the tube width. That will tell you a lot about the heat rejection and the origin of the product.
Generally, this will keep you on the right track: 1-2 row is ideal for stock standard vehicles and exact replacement requirements. 3-4 rows are best for high horsepower, performance or off-roading vehicles as well as trucks.
Aluminum is an excellent heat conductor.It provides heat emissions at a rate of around five times greater than steel counterparts. That notion itself makes aluminum a perfect radiator construction element. It means the radiators don't need to be switched on for as long to reach their optimal temperature.
Because copper has less strength than aluminum as a metal, tubes must be made thin in order to keep the radiator cool. Because aluminum has greater strength, its tubes can be made wider, resulting in a better cooling effect.
Aluminium radiators are the best radiators for heat output because the metal is a superconductor. As a result, it heats rooms quicker and more efficiently than any of the other materials.
Another reason why aluminum radiators are more efficient is because of the life of an aluminum radiator. It is generally longer than that of a copper-brass radiator. The lifespan of most aluminum radiators is between 8 and 10 years. These last between six and ten years longer than copper-brass ones!
Introduction: My name is Rueben Jacobs, I am a cooperative, beautiful, kind, comfortable, glamorous, open, magnificent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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