Thermal analysis of aluminum alloy furnace brazing

The overall objectives of this research project are to gain improvements in the understanding, performance and costs of materials and manufacturing processes used to assemble heat exchanger products for automotive applications. These systems are manufactured through furnace brazing of light metals (including Al) using continuous belt furnace processes. Dana Canada Corporation (Dana) owns and uses proprietary flux less brazing technology in its manufacturing processes, that is based on the surface application of a nickel based braze promoter, applied using electrolytic deposition methods. This proposal describes the objectives and activities for a Phase II extension of previous a research project that was completed for Dana by Prof. Stephen Corbin in 2011. The primary objectives of Phase II include: 1) to apply and further improve the brazing measurement methodologies developed in the Phase 1 project, to achieve an improved fundamental understanding of the diffusion, melting and wetting characteristics of the material systems of interest to Dana; as functions of brazing process, material and plating deposit variables 2) to advance knowledge about the limitations and relative efficacy of improved materials and plating technology alternatives under development by Dana, so that higher performance and more robust brazing material and manufacturing processes can be developed at potentially lower cost. The research will be carried out using techniques established during Phase I of the research project and will include: thermal techniques such as Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Laser Flash Thermal Diffusivity (LFTD), microstructural and other materials characterization techniques such as optical and SEM microscopy, EDS analysis, XRD, and XPS.