Sagging Mechanisms of Three-Layer Aluminum Clad Foils used in the Heat Exchanger in the Brazing Process

The sagging mechanisms of a three-layer aluminum clad foils (AA4343/AA3003Mod/AA4343) with final rolling reduction of 20-50% during brazing were studied. The results show that the sagging behavior of the aluminum brazed foils during the brazing cycle can be divided into four stages: Stage I is the slight sagging stage, during which sagging deformation can almost be ignored; Stage II is referred to as the accelerative sagging stage, and the sagging behavior is mainly ascribed to recovery. In stage II, the greater the reduction ratio is, the earlier the recovery ends, and the smaller the value of the sagging distance is. Stage III is the slow sagging stage, and sliding deformation along the grain boundaries is responsible for the slow sagging rate. Stage IV is the erosion stage. During stage IV, the coarsely recrystallized grains can inhibit erosion and are helpful in obtaining excellent sagging resistance, while the foils with finely recrystallized grains or non-recrystallized structure show severe erosion and limited sagging resistance.