Fin stock material

Abstract

A fin stock material from an 3xxx-series aluminium alloy and including at least 0.5% to 2.0% Mn, and furthermore a purposive addition of one or more wetting elements selected from the group of: Bi 0.03% to 0.5%, Pb 0.03% to 0.5%, Sb 0.03% to 0.5%, Li 0.03% to 0.5%, Se 0.03% to 0.5%, Y 0.03% to 0.05%, Th 0.03% to 0.05%, and the sum of these elements being 0.5% or less, with the remainder including aluminium and tolerable impurities. Also provided is a method for manufacturing a heat exchanger assembly incorporating such a fin stock material.

1 . A fin stock material from an 3xxx-series aluminium alloy and comprising by weight
 Mn 0.5 to 2.0%   Si 0.5% to 1.5%   Fe 0 to 1.8%   Zn 0 to 2.5%   Mg 0 to 0.5%   Cu 0 to 0.4%, and   furthermore a purposive addition of Bi 0.03% to 0.5% as wetting agent, with the remainder comprising aluminium and tolerable impurities.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . A fin stock material according to  claim 1 , wherein said aluminium alloy comprises further one or more elements selected from the group of up to 0.25% Zr, up to 0.25% Cr, up to 0.25% V, up to 0.25% Ti, up to 0.20% In, up to 0.3% Ni. 
     
     
         4 . A fin stock material according to  claim 1 , and wherein said aluminium alloy comprises Bi in a range of 0.03% to 0.35%. 
     
     
         5 . A fin stock material according to  claim 1 , and wherein said aluminium alloy further comprises Mg in a range of 0.01% to 0.35%. 
     
     
         6 . A fin stock material according to  claim 1 , and wherein said aluminium alloy comprises Mn in the range of 0.8% to 2.0%. 
     
     
         7 . A fin stock material according to  claim 1 , and wherein said aluminium alloy comprises Fe in the range of 0.15% to 0.8%. 
     
     
         8 . A fin stock material according to  claim 1 , and wherein said aluminium alloy comprises,
 Mn 0.5% to 2.0%   Si 0.3% to 1.5%   Fe 0 to 1.8%   Zn 0 to 2.5%   Mg 0 to 0.5%   Cu 0 to 0.4%   Bi 0.03% to 0.5%,   optionally one or more elements selected from the group of up to about 0.25% Zr, up to about 0.25% Cr, up to about 0.25% V, up to about 0.25% Ti, up to about 0.20% In, up to about 0.3% Ni,   with the remainder comprising aluminium and tolerable impurities.   
     
     
         9 . A fin stock material according to  claim 1 , and wherein said fin stock material is devoid of any metallic layer(s). 
     
     
         10 . A method of manufacturing an article joined by brazing or an assembly of brazed components, comprising the steps of:
 (a) forming the components of which at least one is made from the fin stock material according to  claim 1 ,   (b) corrugating the fin stock material and assembling the components into an assembly,   (c) brazing the assembly without applying brazing flux on the assembly of components and brazing the whole assembly in an inert controlled gas atmosphere at a brazing temperature to form a brazed assembly, and   (d) cooling of the brazed assembly.   
     
     
         11 . A fin stock material according to  claim 1 , and wherein said aluminium alloy comprises Bi in a range of 0.03% to 0.30%. 
     
     
         12 . A fin stock material according to  claim 1 , and wherein said aluminium alloy further comprises Mg in a range of 0.01 to 0.2%. 
     
     
         13 . A fin stock material according to  claim 1 , and wherein said aluminium alloy comprises Mn in the range of 0.8% to 1.7%. 
     
     
         14 . A fin stock material according to  claim 1 , and wherein said aluminium alloy comprises Fe in the range of 0.15% to 0.45%. 
     
     
         15 . A fin stock material according to  claim 1 , wherein said aluminium alloy comprises Si in the range of 0.5% to 1.5%. 
     
     
         16 . A fin stock material according to  claim 1 , wherein said aluminium alloy comprises Si in the range of 0.5% to 1.2%. 
     
     
         17 . A fin stock material according to  claim 1 , wherein said aluminium alloy comprises Cu up to 0.20%. 
     
     
         18 . A fin stock material according to  claim 1 , wherein said aluminium alloy comprises Cu at a level below 0.05%. 
     
     
         19 . A fin stock material according to  claim 1 , wherein said aluminium alloy comprises Zr in the range of 0.05% to 0.20%. 
     
     
         20 . A fin stock material according to  claim 1 , wherein said aluminium alloy comprises Zr in the range of 0.06% to 0.15%. 
     
     
         21 . A fin stock material according to  claim 1 , wherein said aluminium alloy comprises Ti in the range of up to 0.25%. 
     
     
         22 . A fin stock material according to  claim 1 , wherein said aluminium alloy comprises Ti in the range of less than 0.20%. 
     
     
         23 . A fin stock material according to  claim 1 , wherein said aluminium alloy comprises Ti in the range of less than 0.10%. 
     
     
         24 . Method according to  claim 10 , wherein during step (c) the brazing temperature is in the range of 540° C. to 615° C. 
     
     
         25 . Method according to  claim 10 , wherein during step (c) the oxygen content in the inert controlled gas atmosphere is below 200 ppm. 
     
     
         26 . Method according to  claim 10 , wherein during step (c) the oxygen content in the inert controlled gas atmosphere is below 100 ppm. 
     
     
         27 . Method according to  claim 10 , wherein during step (c) the oxygen content in the inert controlled gas atmosphere is less than 15 ppm.