Abstract: A fracture-resistant charge air cooler header is provided. The internal side of the header includes, at select locations most likely to sustain a fracture, a reinforcing weld bead or “nugget” of sufficient height to create a section modulus change. The weld bead is preferably formed from a highly ductile alloy, such as AA 1100 aluminum alloy, and may surround either a portion of the header component associated with a tube or its entire perimeter.

Abstract: A corrosion-resistant heat exchanger for use in cooling a mixture of exhaust gas and charged air is provided comprising an air inlet chamber, an air outlet chamber, and a plurality of flat tubes through which the mixture passes and is cooled by ambient air. The flat tubes include turbulators to promote cooling of the exhaust gas/air mixture, and the turbulators are formed from a first aluminum alloy that is cladded by a second aluminum alloy, which combination of alloys create a sacrificial “brown band” layer upon brazing. In a highly preferred embodiment, both the tubes and the turbulators are formed of the same material.