Heat exchanger manufacturers can reduce material costs while maintaining optimal performance by using small diameter copper tube ≤5mm in diameter, also known as Microgroove ™. New research from Optimized Thermal Systems, Inc. (OTS) revealed increased possibilities for small-diameter copper tube provide equal performance to microchannel designs with a significant lower refrigerant charge.

“This research gives heat exchange designers and manufacturers new opportunities for improving the form factor of HVAC heat exchangers and heat pump systems,” said Dale Powell, project manager and piping application specialist at the Copper Development Association (CDA). “The OTS studies demonstrate that small-diameter copper tube provides opportunities to reduce weight and volume at the source for better performance. New manufacturing processes take advantage of copper’s superior malleability to allow for an increase in shapes, sizes, and general configurations to meet the demands of future heat exchanger designs.”