Corrosion

Corrosion performance required

Corrosion puts tough demands on materials for aluminium heat exchangers, which calls for control of material properties and optimised material combinations. We provide the competence on how the corrosion performance of the end-product is affected by inherent material properties, customer processes like forming/brazing, and the specific environment for the application.

We possess a fundamental understanding of corrosion mechanisms and we collaborate with institutes as well as universities to further strengthen our competence. Electrochemical methods and advanced microstructural studies are vital ingredients of our development work.

Testing and analysing

Gränges R&I is equipped with Salt Spray Corrosion Test- and Cyclic Corrosion Test (CCT)-chambers for accelerated corrosion testing of the external corrosion of components, prototypes and full-size heat exchangers. We conduct SWAAT (Sea Water Acetic Acid Tests) as well as other standard or customer-specific test methods. In addition, we perform accelerated internal corrosion testing and corrosion in specific environments, for example corrosive condensates.

The laboratory tests should replicate the corrosion behaviour of components in the field as closely as possible. We work continuously collecting data on field-exposed heat exchangers and materials. Different geographic sites, with different corrosive environments (marine and industrial/urban), are used for long-term outdoor exposure.

We support the automotive as well as HVAC markets with our expertise in materials and corrosion. Gränges R&I has many years of experience from development work and evaluating results from field exposure and accelerated corrosion tests (both CCT and SWAAT) on aluminium heat exchangers. We use our fundamental understanding to further develop materials and methods to recommend optimal material combinations.