Aluminum ducts are used to move air in HVAC systems and home drying systems due to their resistance to corrosion. They can be rigid or flexible, and insulation can be added for better thermal control. Aluminum ducts are easy to install and maintain an airtight cavity.
An aluminum duct is a passageway made from aluminum that is primarily used to move air, such as in air conditioning or heating systems, within a structure or building. Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) ducts are usually made of aluminum. Aluminum ducts are also used with home drying systems; Since aluminum doesn’t rust, this type of duct is perfect for removing the hot, humid air expelled from your dryer. Ducting can be flexible or rigid, and fiberglass insulation is sometimes added for better thermal control.
The history of aluminum dates back to 1854, when American chemist Charles M. Hall developed a method for extracting large quantities of aluminum from a mined substance known as bauxite. His method is used today to produce nearly all of the aluminum in the world. Aluminum ducts benefit from the natural qualities of aluminium, namely its light weight and natural resistance to corrosion. Being non-ferrous, aluminum does not rust.
The most common use of the aluminum duct is in the heating and air conditioning sector. Flexible and rigid duct is often used to route air conditioning throughout a home or building. Aluminum duct is used for its high strength-to-weight ratio: a very light section of rigid duct can be traversed great distances without needing to be supported. Its flexible shape is used for aluminum’s ability to stretch; flexible aluminum duct can be bent hundreds of times and still maintain an airtight cavity. Insulated forms of both can be used to minimize heat transfer between the contents and the surroundings, making HVAC systems more efficient.
Another very common use of aluminum duct is as a dryer duct. Clothes dryers use high heat to dry clothes by converting the water in the clothes into water vapor which is then vented out of the house. Aluminum conduit is commonly used in this application due to its corrosion resistance. A duct can carry moist air for many years without the risk of rust. The cost of these aluminum ducts is usually low due to the small diameter of duct required.
Since aluminum duct can be rigid or flexible, installation is usually quite simple. Rigid units can be supported by metal or plastic strapping attached to the structure itself, or they can be mounted directly to a surface using large brackets. Flexible sections of conduit can be left to rest on an uneven surface or hung using metal or plastic strapping. Since aluminum ductwork maintains an airtight cavity, there is no need to support it in order to maintain a straight flow line.
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