Patent Application
20150027678
The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 and 35 U.S.C. 365 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2013-0086584, filed in Korea on Jul. 23, 2013, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
1. Field
A heat exchanger and a method and apparatus for manufacturing the same are disclosed herein.
2. Background
A heat exchanger may be one component of a refrigeration cycle. The heat exchanger may be used in electric appliances, such as refrigerators or air conditioners in which the refrigeration cycle is performed.
The heat exchanger may include a refrigerant tube through which a refrigerant may flow and a heat-exchange fin coupled to the refrigerant tube to allow the refrigerant to be heat-exchanged with external air. The heat-exchange fin may be coupled to the refrigerant tube to increase a heat-exchange area in which the refrigerant is heat-exchanged with the air.
The heat exchanger may function as a condenser or an evaporator. When a heat exchanger functions as a condenser, a high-pressure refrigerant compressed by a compressor may flow through the refrigerant tube to heat-exchange (heat dissipation) with air and then be condensed. On the other hand, when a heat exchanger functions as an evaporator, a low-pressure refrigerant may flow through the refrigerant tube to heat-exchange (heat adsorption) with air and then be evaporated.
When a heat exchanger functions as an evaporator of a refrigerator, the heat exchanger may be exposed to a low-temperature environment of a storage compartment of the refrigerator to heat-exchange with cool air of the storage compartment. That is, the refrigerant tube of the heat exchanger may have a temperature less than a temperature of the cool air of the storage compartment, and thus, condensate water may be generated due to a temperature difference between the refrigerant tube (or the heat exchange fin) and the cool air.
The condensate water may freeze forming frost on a surface of the heat exchanger, that is, surfaces of the refrigerant tube and heat-exchange fin (frost formation), thereby disturbing heat exchange action between the refrigerant tube and the cool air. Therefore, it is important to prevent frost from being formed on the surface of the heat exchanger so as to improve efficiency of the heat exchanger.
However, in the case of the related art heat exchanger, as the refrigerant tube or the heat-exchange fin is not separately surface-treated, frost may form on the refrigerant tube or the heat-exchanger, and thus, it takes a lot of time to remove the frost formed on the heat exchanger.
To solve this limitation, the present applicant has filed a patent for applying a porous material onto a heat exchanger, Korean Application No. 10-2006-0000742. However, according to the technology for applying the porous material, the formation of the frost on the heat exchanger may be prevented somewhat, but the effect is insignificant.
Embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the following drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like elements, and wherein:
Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Embodiments may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, alternate embodiments included in other retrogressive inventions or falling within the spirit and scope of the embodiments will fully convey the concept of the embodiments to those skilled in the art.
Referring to
A through hole 115, through which the refrigerant tube 100 may pass, may be formed in each of the plurality of heat-exchange fins 110. The refrigerant tube 100 may be disposed to pass through the plurality of heat-exchange fins 110 through the through holes 115. The refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant tube 100 may be heat-exchanged with air flowing between the plurality of heat-exchange fins 110.
The refrigerant tube 100 may include a refrigerant introduction 101, through which the refrigerant may be introduced, and a refrigerant discharge 105, through which the refrigerant may be discharged. The refrigerant introduced through the refrigerant introduction 101 may be heat-exchanged with the air and then be discharged from the heat exchanger 10 through the refrigerant discharge 105.
The heat exchanger 10 may include at least one coupling plate 120 that supports the refrigerant tube 100, and at least one return band 108 coupled to the at least one coupling plate 120 to turn a flow direction of the refrigerant of the refrigerant tube 100. For example, the return band 108 may have a U-shape, at least one portion of which may be curved.
The at least one coupling plate 120 may include a coupling plate 120 disposed at both sides or ends of the refrigerant tube 100 to support the refrigerant tube 100. Also, one portion of refrigerant tube 100 may be coupled to a first end of the return band 108, and another portion of the refrigerant tube 100 may be coupled to a second end of the return band 108.
The refrigerant tube 100 and the heat-exchange fin 110 may be formed of aluminum materials, respectively. As the refrigerant tube 100 and the heat-exchange fin 110 may be formed of the aluminum materials, the heat exchanger 10 may be reduced in weight and manufacturing cost.
The refrigerant tube 100 and the heat-exchange fin 110 may be surface-treated through a predetermined processing process. The processing process may be performed at one time in a state in which the refrigerant tube 100 and the heat-exchange fin 110 are coupled to each other.
Surface surface-treatments having the same structure may be disposed on the refrigerant tube 100 and the heat-exchange fin 110, respectively. In detail, a first tube treatment 130 may be disposed on the refrigerant tube 100. The first tube treatment 130 may include a fine unevenness formed by performing physical or chemical treatment on the surface of the refrigerant tube 100. For example, the fine unevenness of the first tube treatment 130 may have a structure in which a protrusion and a recess are repeatedly formed.
The fine unevenness of the first tube treatment 130 may have a size in micrometer (μm) unit. Herein, the term micrometer (μm) unit may be understood as a size ranging from about 1 μm to about 1000 μm.
A first fin treatment 140 may be disposed on the heat-exchange fin 110. The first fin treatment 140 may include a fine unevenness formed by performing physical or chemical treatment on the surface of the heat-exchange fin 110. For example, the fine unevenness of the first fin treatment 140 may have a structure in which a protrusion and a recess are repeatedly formed. The fine unevenness of the first fin treatment 140 may have a size in micrometer (μm) unit.
A second tube treatment 135 may be disposed on a surface of the first treatment 130. The second tube treatment 135 may include a surface layer formed through an acid or base treatment process, for example. The surface layer may have a size in nanometer (nm) unit. Herein, the term “nanometer (nm) unit” may be understood as a size ranging from about 1 nm to about 1000 nm. The surface layer of the second tube treatment 135 may have a flake shape that protrudes from the surface of the first tube treatment 130 and be called a “metal nano-layer”.
A second fin treatment 145 may be disposed on a surface of the first fin treatment 140. The second fin treatment 145 may include a surface layer formed through an acid or base treatment process, for example. The surface layer of the second fin treatment 145 may have a flake shape that protrudes from the surface of the first fin treatment 140 and have a size in nanometer (nm) unit.
A third tube treatment 138 may be disposed on the surface of the second treatment 135. The third tube treatment 138 may include a hydrophobic high-molecular layer formed through a coating process, for example. The hydrophobic high-molecular layer of the third tube treatment 38 may include a fluorinate-based compound and have a thickness in nanometer (nm), for example, a thickness of about 1 nm to about 5 nm.
A third fin treatment 148 may be disposed on the surface of the second fin treatment 145. The third fin treatment 148 may include a hydrophobic high-molecular layer formed through a coating process, for example. The hydrophobic high-molecular layer of the third fin treatment 148 may include a fluorinate-based compound and have a thickness in nanometer (nm), for example, a thickness of about 1 nm to about 5 nm.
Due to the first, second, and third tube treatments 130, 135, and 138, a plurality of layers may be laminated on the surface of the refrigerant tube 100. Also, due to the first, second, and third fin treatments 140, 145, and 148, a plurality of layers may be laminated on the surface of the heat-exchange fin 110.
Hereinafter, a method for manufacturing the heat exchanger according to embodiments will be discussed.
A fine unevenness may be processed on a surface of the assembled body, in step S12. The fine unevenness may include a first tube treatment 130 and a first fin treatment 140. The fine roughness may be formed through one of a sand blast method, a sand paper method, a shot blast method, a plasma etching method, a discharge treatment method, a laser treatment method, or an acid (base) etching method, for example.
The sand blast method may be a method in which fine sand particles are sprayed by compressed air to physically collide with the surfaces of the refrigerant tube 100 and the at least one heat-exchange fin 110, thereby forming a fine roughness. The sand paper method may be a method in which the surfaces of the refrigerant tube 100 and the at least one heat-exchange fin 110 are rubbed with a sand paper. The shot blast method may be a process in which fine particles of a metal or non-metal, such as a shut or grit, are sprayed onto the surfaces of the refrigerant tube 100 and the at least one heat-exchange fin 110.
The plasma etching method may be a dry etching process using gas plasma. Also, the acid (base) etching method may be a wet etching process using an acid solution or a base solution as an etchant. The etchant may be a fluorinate acid-diluted solution, a nitric acid-diluted solution, a phosphoric acid-diluted solution, an acetic acid-diluted solution, a hydrochloric acid-diluted, a sulfuric acid-diluted solution, or a mixture thereof.
The discharge treatment method may be a method in which the surfaces of the refrigerant tube 100 and the at least one heat-exchange fin 110 are melted using high-temperature heat generated by electrical discharge and then re-coagulated. The laser treatment method may be a method in which a high power laser pulse is incident into the refrigerant tube 100 and the at least one heat-exchange fin 110 to allow the surfaces of the refrigerant tube 100 and the at least one heat-exchange fin 110 to wear.
After the fine unevenness is processed on the assembled body, a process for forming a metal nano-layer may be performed on a surface of the fine unevenness, in step S13. The metal nano-layer may include a second tube treatment 135 and a second fin treatment 145.
In detail, the process for forming the metal nano-layer may include an acid or base treatment process, for example. In step S13, the acid or base treatment process may include a process for dipping the heat exchanger 10 into a bath in which a predetermined acid or base solution may be stored.
After the metal nano-layer is formed, a process for forming the hydrophobic high-molecular layer may be performed on the metal nano-layer, in step S14. In detail, in step S14, the process for forming the hydrophobic high-molecular layer may include a process for coating with a fluorinate-based compound and a drying process, for example.
The surface treatment process will be described in detail with reference to
Referring to
Alternatively, a plurality of baths 200 may be provided. The plurality of baths 200 may store solutions 250 different from each other. The heat exchanger 10 may be sequentially dipped into the different solutions 250 stored in the baths 200 according to a predetermined process order.
Here, the refrigerant tube 100 and the at least one heat-exchange fin 110 of the heat exchanger 10 may be dipped into the solution 250 except for the refrigerant introduction 101 and the refrigerant discharge 105.
Referring to
In step S21, the refrigerant tube 100 and the at least one heat-exchange fin 110 may be assembled to form the assembled body, and then the surface treatment process may start.
When the surface treatment process starts, a first base-solution treatment process may be performed. The first base-solution treatment process may include a process for dipping the heat exchanger 10 into the bath 200 containing a sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution for a predetermined period of time. In step S22, the predetermined period of time may be a time of about 20 seconds to about 30 seconds, for example, and the sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution may have a concentration of about 0.5 mol and be under room temperature, for example.
After the first base-solution treatment process is performed, an acid-solution treatment process may be performed. The acid-solution treatment process may include a process for dipping the heat exchanger 10 into a bath 200 containing a hydrochloric acid (HCL) solution for a predetermined period of time. The predetermined period of time may be a time of about 60 seconds to about 90 seconds, for example, and the hydrochloric acid (HCL) solution may have a concentration of about 1 mol and a temperature of about 70 to about 90° C., for example.
In step S23, when the acid-solution treatment process is completed, the first tube treatment 130 may be formed on the refrigerant tube 100, and the first fin treatment 140 may be formed on the at least one heat-exchange fin 110.
After the acid-solution treatment process is performed, a second base-solution treatment process may be performed. The second base-solution treatment process may include a process for dipping the heat exchanger 10 into a bath 200 containing a sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution for a predetermined period of time.
The predetermined period of time may be a time of about 3 seconds to about 5 seconds, for example, and the sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution may have a concentration of about 0.5 mol and under room temperature, for example. That is, in step S24, the second base-solution treatment process may take a time less than a time of the first base-solution treatment process.
After the second base-solution treatment process is performed, a deionized-water treatment process may be performed. The deionized-water may be water which is substantially pure water from which mineral slats in water, for example, positive ions such as sodium (Na), or calcium (Ca), and negative ions such as chloride ions or sulfate ions are removed.
The heat exchanger 10 treated with the base-solution and the acid-solution may be cleaned by performing the deionized-water treatment process. Thus, the deionized-water treatment process may be called a cleaning process.
In step S25, when the deionized-water treatment process is completed, the second tube treatment 135 may be formed on the refrigerant tube 100, and the second fin treatment 145 may be formed on the heat-exchange fin 110.
After the deionized-water treatment process is performed, a first drying process may be performed, in step S26. An oven may be provided as a dryer to perform the first drying process. The heat exchanger 10 may be inserted into the oven, and then the first drying process may be performed for a predetermined period of time at a temperature of about 100° C. to 120° C., for example. In step S26, the predetermined period of time may be about 5 minutes to about 10 minutes, for example.
After the first drying process is performed, the fluorinate-based compound treatment process may be performed. In step S27, the fluorinate-based compound treatment process may include a process for dipping the heat exchanger 10 into a solution in which (heptadeca-fluoro-1,1,2,2-tetra-hydrodecyl) trichlorosilane (HDFS) is mixed with n-hexane at a ratio of about 1:1000.
After the fluorinate-based compound treatment process is performed, a second drying process may be performed, in step S28. An oven may be provided as a dryer to perform the second drying process. The heat exchanger 10 may be inserted into the oven, and then the second drying process may be performed for a predetermined period of time at a temperature of about 100° C. to 120° C. The predetermined period of time may be about 5 minutes to about 10 minutes, for example.
In step S28, when the second drying process is completed, a third tube treatment 138 may be formed on the refrigerant tube 100, and a third fin treatment 148 may be formed on the at least one heat-exchange fin 110. In step S29, after the second drying process is performed, a cleaning process may be performed.
The surface treatment process may be performed to form the first, second, and third tube treatments 130, 135, and 138 on the refrigerant tube 100, and the first, second, and third fin treatments 140, 145, and 148 on the at least one heat-exchange fin 110. In summary, as the unevenness, the metal nano-layer, and the hydrophobic high-molecular layer may be formed on the refrigerant tube 100 and the at least one heat-exchange fin 110, the refrigerant tube 100 and the at least one heat-exchange fin 110 may have super-water-repellant surfaces. As the surfaces of the refrigerant tube 100 and the at least one heat-exchange fin 110 may have super-water-repellant characteristics to bounce the water even though the heat exchanger 10 is touched by the water, a contact angle between the surface and the water may increase and a contact surface between the surface and the water may decrease. For example, the contact angle may be about 150° or more.
Thus, as the condensate water formed on the surface of the heat exchanger 10 may easily flow downward, the possibility of the formation of frost on the surface of the heat exchanger 10 may be low or reduced, and even when frost is formed on the surface of the heat exchanger 10, the frost may be easily removed from the surface of the heat exchanger 10.
Hereinafter, additional embodiments will be described. As the additional embodiments are different from the previous embodiment in the apparatus for manufacturing the heat exchanger, different points therebetween will be mainly described herein, and the same parts as those described according to the previous embodiment will be denoted by the descriptions and reference numerals according to the previous embodiment.
In detail, the reaction inducing device 300 may include a drive 310 that generates a drive force, a connection shaft 320 that extends from the drive 310, and a rotatable element coupled to the connection shaft 320.
For example, the drive 310 may be a motor, and the connection shaft 320 may be a drive or motor shaft. When the motor is driven, the motor shaft may be rotated in a predetermined direction. Also, the rotatable element 330 may include one or more blades that rotate together with the motor shaft in a predetermined direction.
When the rotatable element 330 is rotated, a rotation force may be applied to the solution 250, and thus, the solution 250 may move. According to the movement of the solution 250, the heat exchanger 10 and the solution 250 may quickly react with each other (reaction acceleration phenomenon). Thus, a process time for surface-treating the heat exchanger 10 may be reduced.
In detail, the reaction induction device 400 may include a vibrator 410 that generates vibration when a predetermined input signal is applied to output ultrasonic waves. The vibrator 410 may be coupled to the bath 200 so that the vibrator 410 is exposed to the solution 250 in the bath 200.
The ultrasonic waves generated through the vibrator 410 may be transmitted into the solution 250. The ultrasonic waves may have a function to accelerate oxidation or reduction reaction.
That is, when the reaction inducing device 400 is operated to transmit the ultrasonic waves toward the solution 250, the heat exchanger 10 and the solution 250 may quickly react with each other (reaction acceleration phenomenon). Thus, a process time for surface-treating the heat exchanger 10 may be reduced.
According to embodiments, predetermined structures are applied onto surfaces of the heat exchanger, that is, surfaces of the refrigerant tube and the at least one heat-exchange fin, to allow the surfaces of the heat exchanger to have super-water-repellant characteristics, and thus, freezing on the surfaces of the heat exchanger may be relatively reduced, and also, frost formed on surfaces of the heat exchanger may be easily removed. Also, as the completely assembled heat exchanger may be dipped into the bath and then surface-treated, the surface treatment process on the refrigerant tube and the at least one heat-exchange fin may be simply performed at once.
Also, as the reaction inducing device may be disposed in the bath in which the solution for surface-treating is contained, the heat exchanger may quickly react with chemical materials. Also, as each of the refrigerant tube and the at least one heat-exchange fin which constitute the heat exchanger may be formed of an aluminum material, the heat exchanger may be reduced in weight and manufacturing cost.
Embodiments provide a heat exchanger that is capable of preventing frost from forming on a surface of the heat exchanger and improving defrost performance, and a method and apparatus for manufacturing the heat exchanger.
Embodiments disclosed herein provide a heat exchanger that may include a refrigerant tube, through which a refrigerant may flow; a heat-exchange fin, into which the refrigerant tube may be inserted; a plurality of tube treatment parts or treatments laminated on a surface of the refrigerant tube; and a plurality of fin treatment parts or treatments laminated on a surface of the heat-exchange fin. The plurality of tube treatment parts may include a first tube treatment part or treatment formed by processing the surface of the refrigerant tube. The first tube treatment part may include a fine unevenness formed in a micrometer (μm) unit, and a second tube treatment part or treatment formed by processing the surface of the first tube treatment part. The second tube treatment part may include a metal layer formed in a nanometer (nm) unit.
The first tube treatment part may be formed through one of a sand blast method, a sand paper method, a shot blast method, a plasma etching method, a discharge treatment method, a laser treatment method, or an acid (base) etching method, for example. The metal layer of the second tube treatment part may be formed by an acid or base treatment process, for example.
The plurality of tube treatment parts may include a third tube treatment part or treatment formed by processing a surface of the second tube treatment part. The third tube treatment part may include a hydrophobic high-molecular layer, for example. The hydrophobic high-molecular layer of the third tube treatment part may be coated with a fluorinate-based compound, for example.
The plurality of fin treatment parts may include a first fin treatment part formed by processing a surface of the heat-exchange fin, the first fin treatment part including a fine unevenness formed in a micrometer (μm) unit, and a second fin treatment part formed by processing a surface of the first fin treatment part. The second fin treatment part may include a metal layer formed in a nanometer (nm), for example.
The plurality of fin treatment parts may include a third fin treatment part formed by processing the surface of the second fin treatment part. The third fin treatment part may include a hydrophobic high-molecular layer, for example.
Each of the refrigerant tube and the heat-exchange fin may be formed of an aluminum material, for example.
Embodiments disclosed herein further provide a method for manufacturing a heat exchanger that may include assembling a refrigerant tube with at least one heat-exchange fin to form an assembled body; processing a fine unevenness on a surface of the assembled body; forming a metal nano-layer on a surface of the fine unevenness; and forming a hydrophobic high-molecular layer on a surface of the metal nano-layer.
The processing of the fine unevenness on the surface of the assembled body may be performed by using one of a sand blast method, a sand paper method, a shot blast method, a plasma etching method, a discharge treatment method, a laser treatment method, or an acid (base) etching method, for example.
The processing of the fine unevenness on the surface of the assembled body may include dipping the assembled body into a first base solution, and dipping the assembled body into an acid solution. The forming of the metal nano-layer on the surface of the fine unevenness may include dipping the assembled body into a second base solution, and dipping the assembled body into deionized-water. A time taken for dipping the assembled body into the second base solution may be longer than a time taken for dipping the assembled body into the first base solution.
The forming of the hydrophobic high-molecular layer on the surface of the metal nano-layer may include performing a first drying process on the assembled body; treating the assembled body by using a fluorinate-based compound; and performing a second drying process on the assembled body.
Embodiment disclosed herein further provide an apparatus for manufacturing a heat exchanger that may include at least one bath in which a solution may be stored to dip an assembled body of a refrigerant tube and at least one heat-exchange fin; and a reaction inducing device disposed at at least one side of the bath to induce reaction between the assembled body and the solution. The reaction inducing device may include a driving part or drive that generates a driving force, and a rotation part disposed rotatable according to the driving of the driving part.
The reaction inducing device may include a vibrator coupled to the bath to generate ultrasonic waves due to vibration.
Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.
Any reference in this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “example embodiment,” etc., means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of such phrases in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with any embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the purview of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other ones of the embodiments.
Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2013-0086584 | Jul 2013 | KR | national |
