Dehumidifier

Abstract

A dehumidifier including a condenser configured to condense a refrigerant, an evaporator configured to evaporate the refrigerant, and a heat transfer module configured to absorb heat from air flowing into the evaporator and to transfer the heat to air discharged from the evaporator, wherein the heat transfer module includes a right module enclosing a right side of the evaporator and a left module enclosing a left side of the evaporator, whereby each of the right module and the left module includes a plurality of side heat pipes formed in a U shape to seal a fluid therein, the plurality of side heat pipes being vertically arranged; and a plurality of side cooling fins connected to the plurality of side heat pipes and horizontally arranged.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dehumidifier comprising:
 a condenser configured to condense a refrigerant;   an evaporator configured to evaporate the refrigerant; and   a heat transfer module configured to absorb heat from air flowing into the evaporator, and to transfer the heat to air discharged from the evaporator,   wherein the heat transfer module comprises:
 a right module enclosing a right side of the evaporator; and 
 a left module enclosing a left side of the evaporator, 
   wherein the right module and the left module each comprises:
 a plurality of side heat pipes that are vertically arranged relative to a direction of gravity, each of the side heat pipes having a U shape to seal a fluid therein; and 
 a plurality of side cooling fins connected to the plurality of side heat pipes and are horizontally arranged. 
   
     
     
         2 . The dehumidifier of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of side cooling fins is formed as a corrugated fin. 
     
     
         3 . The dehumidifier of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of side cooling fins is formed as a slit fin having a surface that is partially cut and bent in an upward direction. 
     
     
         4 . The dehumidifier of  claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer module further comprises:
 a plurality of middle section modules disposed at a middle portion of the heat transfer module between a front surface and a rear surface of the evaporator, to connect the right module with the left module.   
     
     
         5 . The dehumidifier of  claim 4 , wherein each of the middle section modules comprises a plurality of connection holes that are vertically arranged and configured to receive end portions of the plurality of side heat pipes of the right module and the left module. 
     
     
         6 . The dehumidifier of  claim 4 , wherein each of the middle section modules comprises:
 a plurality of sleeves that are vertically arranged, each of which is formed in a tubular shape and configured to receive end portions of the plurality of side heat pipes of the right module and the left module; and   a plurality of dummy fins that are horizontally arranged and connected to the plurality of sleeves.   
     
     
         7 . The dehumidifier of  claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of dummy fins has the same shape as each of the plurality of side cooling fins. 
     
     
         8 . The dehumidifier of  claim 4 , wherein each of the middle section modules comprises:
 a plurality of center heat pipes that are horizontally arranged, each of which is configured to seal a fluid therein; and   a plurality of center cooling pipes that are vertically arranged and connected to the plurality of center heat pipes.   
     
     
         9 . The dehumidifier of  claim 1 , wherein each of the middle section modules further comprises a plurality of coupling frames, each of which has a square rim shape, formed on all sides of the plurality of center cooling fins, and configured to receive the end portions of the plurality of side heat pipes of the right module and the left module. 
     
     
         10 . The dehumidifier of  claim 4 , wherein the middle section module comprises:
 an upper module enclosing an upper portion of the evaporator; and   a lower module enclosing a lower portion of the evaporator.   
     
     
         11 . A dehumidifier comprising:
 a condenser configured to condense a refrigerant;   an evaporator configured to evaporate the refrigerant; and   a heat transfer module configured to absorb heat from air flowing into the evaporator, and to transfer the heat to air discharged from the evaporator,   wherein the heat transfer module comprises:
 a right module enclosing a right side of the evaporator; and 
 a left module enclosing a left side of the evaporator, 
   wherein each of the right module and the left module comprises:
 a plurality of side heat pipes each comprising two straight line parts, which extend in a left and right direction of the heat transfer module and are spaced apart from each other in a front and rear direction or the heat transfer module, and a connection part that connects the two straight line parts; and 
 a plurality of side cooling fins connected to the plurality of side heat pipes and spaced apart from each other in the left and right direction. 
   
     
     
         12 . The dehumidifier of  claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of side cooling fins is connected to the two straight line parts. 
     
     
         13 . The dehumidifier of  claim 11 , wherein one of the two straight line parts is disposed at a front side of the evaporator, and the other one of the two straight line parts is disposed at a rear side of the evaporator. 
     
     
         14 . The dehumidifier of  claim 11 , wherein the connection part is disposed on at least one of a left side and a right side of the evaporator. 
     
     
         15 . The dehumidifier of  claim 11 , wherein the heat transfer module further comprises a plurality of middle section modules that are disposed at a middle portion thereof between a front surface and a rear surface of the evaporator, to connect the right module with the left module. 
     
     
         16 . The dehumidifier of  claim 15 , wherein each of the middle section modules includes a plurality of connection holes that are vertically formed and configured to receive end portions of the plurality of side heat pipes of the right module and the left module. 
     
     
         17 . The dehumidifier of  claim 15 , wherein each of the middle section modules comprises:
 a plurality of sleeves that are vertically arranged, each of which is formed in a tubular shape and configured to receive end portions of the plurality of side heat pipes of the right module and the left module; and   a plurality of dummy fins that are horizontally arranged and connected to the plurality of sleeves.   
     
     
         18 . The dehumidifier of  claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of dummy fins has the same shape as each of the plurality of side cooling fins. 
     
     
         19 . The dehumidifier of  claim 15 , wherein each of the middle section modules comprises:
 a plurality of center heat pipes that are horizontally arranged, each of which is configured to seal a fluid therein; and   a plurality of center cooling pipes that are vertically arranged and connected to the plurality of center heat pipes.   
     
     
         20 . The dehumidifier of  claim 19 , wherein each of the middle section modules comprises a plurality of coupling frames, each of which has a square rim shape, formed on all sides of the plurality of center cooling fins, and configured to receive the end portions of the plurality of side heat pipes of the right module and the left module.