Hi all, I’m setting up for a plasma cutter now, painting a bit down the road. I only have a small compressor now, but plan to go to 60 or 80 gallon, so I’m oversizing to start with. Looks like a lot of folks use transmission oil coolers for helping to dry compressed air. Both styles are usually ’test’ rated at ~115psi and burst > 230psi. They come mainly in tube+fin or stacked plate.
Theory is common that the plates have more surface area, so can transmit more heat (at the same rate of flow) as t&f coolers. OTOH, with tube & fin, the air will have to travel the entire length of the tube, rather than shortcutting through the closest plates, except as restriction to flow causes it to extend its path, still supplying from the closest path first. Also, it looks like for similar capacity, t&f is ⅔ the price.
The classic recommendation is for a Derale 15300, $88, 8-AN barb, 16 pass/or row, which is t&f. They get a significant amount of negative reviews, mainly targeting the weak attachment of the connection points. For less money, there’s a 30 pass/row t&f Chinese brand with larger 10-AN flare fittings, so higher possible airflow, but aluminum tube instead of copper; both have aluminum fins.
Assuming I’m going to use such a cooler to cool the air output of my air compressor, is there a compelling reason to choose one over the other? At the same price level (or close) would a 30 pass cooler not work and be a better choice than a 19 pass cooler?
Theory is common that the plates have more surface area, so can transmit more heat (at the same rate of flow) as t&f coolers. OTOH, with tube & fin, the air will have to travel the entire length of the tube, rather than shortcutting through the closest plates, except as restriction to flow causes it to extend its path, still supplying from the closest path first. Also, it looks like for similar capacity, t&f is ⅔ the price.
The classic recommendation is for a Derale 15300, $88, 8-AN barb, 16 pass/or row, which is t&f. They get a significant amount of negative reviews, mainly targeting the weak attachment of the connection points. For less money, there’s a 30 pass/row t&f Chinese brand with larger 10-AN flare fittings, so higher possible airflow, but aluminum tube instead of copper; both have aluminum fins.
Assuming I’m going to use such a cooler to cool the air output of my air compressor, is there a compelling reason to choose one over the other? At the same price level (or close) would a 30 pass cooler not work and be a better choice than a 19 pass cooler?