Heat exchanger and refrigeration cycle apparatus

Abstract

Heat exchangers 40, 40 a , 40 b for performing heat exchange between a refrigerant and air include fins 45, 45 a , 45 b for heat transfer, each of which has fine pores each having a diameter ranging from 1 to 3.5 nm for adsorbing water contained in the air by a capillary condensation phenomenon. Preferably, the fine pores are distributed having a different diameter in accordance with the position of the fins 45, 45 a , 45 b on the surface.

1 . A heat exchanger for exchanging heat between a refrigerant and air, comprising a fin for transferring the heat, wherein the fin includes a fine pore with a diameter ranging from 1 to 3.5 nm for adsorbing water contained in the air by a capillary condensation phenomenon. 
   
   
       2 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the fine pore has a diameter which is different in accordance with a position on a surface of the fin. 
   
   
       3 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2 , wherein the fine pores are distributed on the fin so that each diameter becomes small as the fine pore is positioned from an upwind to a downwind of an air flow direction upon water adsorption. 
   
   
       4 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the fin includes a first fin which has the fine pore with a first predetermined diameter, and a second fin which has the fine pore positioned either upwind or downwind of the first fin in an air flow direction upon the water adsorption, and has a second predetermined diameter different from the first predetermined diameter. 
   
   
       5 . The heat exchanger of  claim 4 , wherein the second fin is positioned downwind of the first fin in an air flow direction upon the water adsorption, and the second predetermined diameter is smaller than the first predetermined diameter. 
   
   
       6 . A refrigeration cycle apparatus which includes a refrigerant circuit formed by connecting a compressor for compressing a refrigerant, a condenser for condensing the refrigerant through a heat exchange, a throttle device for adjusting a pressure of the condensed refrigerant, and an evaporator for evaporating the refrigerant through the heat exchange between the refrigerant decompressed by the throttle device and air, further comprising the heat exchanger of  claim 1  as a heat exchanger for dehumidification/humidification, wherein the throttle device adjusts a refrigerant pressure for controlling adsorption and desorption performed by the heat exchanger for dehumidification/humidification. 
   
   
       7 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 plural units of the heat exchangers for dehumidification/humidification;   a flow passage switching unit for forming a flow passage through which the refrigerant selectively flows into or out of the heat exchanger for dehumidification/humidification; and   a control unit for controlling the flow passage switching unit to switch between the heat exchanger for dehumidification/humidification for adsorbing water contained in air subjected to a heat exchange in the evaporator by flowing the refrigerant decompressed by the throttle device and the heat exchanger for dehumidification/humidification for desorbing the adsorbed water by flowing the refrigerant condensed by the condenser.   
   
   
       8 . A refrigeration cycle apparatus which includes a refrigerant circuit formed by connecting a compressor for compressing a refrigerant, a condenser for condensing the refrigerant through a heat exchange, a throttle device for adjusting a pressure of the condensed refrigerant, and an evaporator for evaporating the refrigerant through the heat exchange between the refrigerant decompressed by the throttle device and air, further comprising:
 plural heat exchangers for dehumidification/humidification each formed as the heat exchanger of  claim 1 ;   a flow passage switching unit for forming a flow passage through which the refrigerant condensed by the condenser selectively flows into the heat exchanger for dehumidification/humidification; and   a control unit for switching between the heat exchanger for dehumidification/humidification for adsorbing the water contained in the air subjected to a heat exchange in the evaporator and the heat exchanger for dehumidification/humidification for desorbing the adsorbed water by controlling the flow passage switching unit to flow the refrigerant.   
   
   
       9 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising a first temperature/humidity detection unit for detecting temperature and/or humidity of the evaporator at an inlet of an air passage of the evaporator, wherein the control unit calculates a relative humidity of the air in the evaporator based on data detected by the first temperature/humidity detection unit, and controls the flow passage switching unit to switch between the heat exchanger for dehumidification/humidification for adsorbing water and the heat exchanger for dehumidification/humidification for desorbing the water based on the calculated relative humidity. 
   
   
       10 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the control unit further controls a drive frequency of the compressor, and converts the relative humidity into a dew point to control the drive frequency of the compressor and switching of the heat exchanger for dehumidification/humidification under the control of the flow passage switching unit so that the evaporating temperature of the refrigerant in the evaporator is equal to or higher than the dew point. 
   
   
       11 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising a second temperature/humidity detection unit for detecting the temperature and/or the humidity of the heat exchanger for dehumidification/humidification at an inlet of the air passage of the heat exchanger for dehumidification/humidification, wherein the control unit calculates the relative humidity of the air in the heat exchanger for dehumidification/humidification based on the detection data of the second temperature/humidity detection unit to convert the calculated relative humidity into a dew point, and controls the drive frequency of the compressor and switching of the heat exchanger for dehumidification/humidification under the control of the flow passage switching unit so that a temperature of a refrigerant which passes in the heat exchanger becomes higher or equal to the dew point. 
   
   
       12 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising an air passage switching unit for switching the air passages between the plural heat exchangers for dehumidification/humidification and the evaporator, wherein the control unit controls the air passage switching unit to form the air passages for the heat exchanger for adsorbing water and the evaporator. 
   
   
       13 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising a first temperature/humidity detection unit for detecting temperature and/or humidity of the evaporator at an inlet of an air passage of the evaporator, wherein the control unit calculates a relative humidity of the air in the evaporator based on data detected by the first temperature/humidity detection unit, and controls the flow passage switching unit to switch between the heat exchanger for dehumidification/humidification for adsorbing water and the heat exchanger for dehumidification/humidification for desorbing the water based on the calculated relative humidity by controlling the flow passage switching unit. 
   
   
       14 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising a second temperature/humidity detection unit for detecting the temperature and/or the humidity of the heat exchanger for dehumidification/humidification at an inlet of the air passage of the heat exchanger for dehumidification/humidification, wherein the control unit calculates the relative humidity of the air in the heat exchanger for dehumidification/humidification based on the detection data of the second temperature/humidity detection unit to convert the calculated relative humidity into a dew point, and controls the drive frequency of the compressor and switching of the heat exchanger for dehumidification/humidification under the control of the flow passage switching unit. 
   
   
       15 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising a second temperature/humidity detection unit for detecting the temperature and/or the humidity of the heat exchanger for dehumidification/humidification at an inlet of the air passage of the heat exchanger for dehumidification/humidification, wherein the control unit calculates the relative humidity of the air in the heat exchanger for dehumidification/humidification based on the detection data of the second temperature/humidity detection unit to convert the calculated relative humidity into a dew point, and controls the drive frequency of the compressor and switching of the heat exchanger for dehumidification/humidification under the control of the flow passage switching unit. 
   
   
       16 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising a second temperature/humidity detection unit for detecting the temperature and/or the humidity of the heat exchanger for dehumidification/humidification at an inlet of the air passage of the heat exchanger for dehumidification/humidification, wherein the control unit calculates the relative humidity of the air in the heat exchanger for dehumidification/humidification based on the detection data of the second temperature/humidity detection unit to convert the calculated relative humidity into a dew point, and controls the drive frequency of the compressor and switching of the heat exchanger for dehumidification/humidification under the control of the flow passage switching unit. 
   
   
       17 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising an air passage switching unit for switching the air passages between the plural heat exchangers for dehumidification/humidification and the evaporator, wherein the control unit controls the air passage switching unit to form the air passages for the heat exchanger for adsorbing water and the evaporator. 
   
   
       18 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising an air passage switching unit for switching the air passages between the plural heat exchangers for dehumidification/humidification and the evaporator, wherein the control unit controls the air passage switching unit to form the air passages for the heat exchanger for adsorbing water and the evaporator. 
   
   
       19 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising an air passage switching unit for switching the air passages between the plural heat exchangers for dehumidification/humidification and the evaporator, wherein the control unit controls the air passage switching unit to form the air passages for the heat exchanger for adsorbing water and the evaporator.