Heat exchanger and outdoor unit for air-conditioner having the same

Abstract

A heat exchanger includes a refrigerant pipe through which a refrigerant flows, and a plurality of fins coupled to an outer circumference surface of the refrigerant pipe, wherein each fin includes a first region disposed upstream with respect to an air flow direction, and a second region which forms a boundary with the first region and is disposed downstream with respect to the air flow direction, and wherein the first region and the second region have different surface energies in order to prevent formation of condensation water on the fin.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a refrigerant pipe through which a refrigerant flows; and   a plurality of fins coupled to an outer circumference surface of the refrigerant pipe,   wherein each fin comprises
 a first region disposed upstream with respect to an air flow direction; and 
 a second region which forms a boundary with the first region and is disposed downstream with respect to the air flow direction, and 
 wherein the first region and the second region have different surface energies in order to prevent formation of condensation water on the fin. 
   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the boundary is formed such that a width of the first region in a longitudinal direction of the fin is uniform. 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the first region has a width of about 5 mm or less. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the boundary is formed such that the width of the first region in the longitudinal direction of the fin is non-uniform. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the first region is coated with a hydrophilic agent having a high surface energy so as to facilitate discharge of condensation water formed in the first region. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 5 , wherein the hydrophilic agent comprises at least one of a carboxyl group (—COOH), an alcohol group (—OH), an amine group (—NH 2 ), a sulfonic acid group (—SO 3 H) and a urea group (—NHCONH 2 ). 
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the first region is coated with a hydrophobic agent having a low surface energy so as to prevent formation of condensation water in the first region. 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 7 , wherein the hydrophobic agent comprises at least one of an inorganic nanopowder and a fluorine compound. 
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein, when the first region is coated with a hydrophilic agent having a high surface energy, the second region is coated with a hydrophobic agent or is uncoated. 
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein, when the first region is coated with a hydrophobic agent having a low surface energy, the second region is coated with a hydrophilic agent or is uncoated. 
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein, when the first region is uncoated, the second region is coated with a hydrophilic agent or a hydrophobic agent. 
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein one of the first region and the second region is covered with a mask, the entire surface of the fin is coated with a hydrophobic agent, the mask is removed and the region covered with the mask is coated with a hydrophilic agent. 
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein one of the first region and the second region is covered with a mask, the entire surface of the fin is coated with a hydrophilic agent, the mask is removed and the region covered with the mask is coated with a hydrophobic agent. 
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the first region and the second region are coated by at least one of dipcoating, spray coating and vacuum evaporation such that a difference in surface energy between the first region and the second region is present. 
     
     
         15 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the first region or the second region is coated with a hydrophilic agent and the uncoated region is coated with a hydrophobic agent by dipcoating. 
     
     
         16 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a refrigerant pipe having a flow channel through which a refrigerant flows; and   a plurality of fins coupled to an outer circumference surface of the refrigerant pipe,   wherein each fin comprises
 a first region which is disposed upstream with respect to a high-temperature air flow direction and has a constant width; and 
 a second region which contacts air passing through the first region and forms a boundary with the first region, 
 wherein both surfaces of the first region are coated with a hydrophobic agent having a low surface energy to prevent formation of condensation water in the first region upon heat-exchange between the high-temperature air flowing in the first region and the refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant pipe, and 
 both surfaces of the second region are coated with a hydrophilic agent having a high surface energy to facilitate discharge of condensation water formed in the second region upon heat-exchange between the high-temperature air passing through the first region and the refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant pipe. 
   
     
     
         17 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 16 , wherein the refrigerant pipe is bent in a zigzag form, and the second region has a plurality of through holes formed by which the refrigerant pipe passes through the fin in a zigzag form. 
     
     
         18 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 16 , wherein the hydrophilic agent comprises at least one of a carboxyl group (—COOH), an alcohol group (—OH), an amine group (—NH 2 ), a sulfonic acid group (—SO 3 H) and a urea group (—NHCONH 2 ), and the hydrophobic agent comprises at least one of an inorganic nanopowder and a fluorine compound. 
     
     
         19 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 16 , wherein both surfaces of the first region are covered with a mask, the entire surface of the fin is coated with a hydrophilic agent, the mask is removed and the region covered with the mask is coated with a hydrophobic agent. 
     
     
         20 . An outdoor unit for air-conditioners comprising:
 a body;   a compression unit disposed in the body, the compression unit compressing a refrigerant; and   a heat exchanger to heat-exchange the refrigerant compressed by the compression unit with outdoor air,   wherein the heat exchanger comprises
 a refrigerant pipe through which a refrigerant flows; and 
 a plurality of fins adhered to an outer circumference surface of the refrigerant pipe, 
 wherein each fin comprises
 a first region disposed upstream with respect to an air flow direction; and 
 a second region forming a boundary with the first region and disposed downstream with respect to the air flow direction, 
 wherein the first region and the second region are coated such that the first and second regions have different surface energies in order to prevent formation of condensation water on the fin. 
 
   
     
     
         21 . The outdoor unit for air-conditioners according to  claim 20 , wherein the first region has a constant width in a longitudinal direction of the fin and is coated with a hydrophobic agent which prevents formation of condensation water due to low surface energy.