Heat exchanger

Abstract

A heat exchanger is provided that may include a plurality of refrigerant tubes through which refrigerant flows, a fin disposed between adjacent refrigerant tubes to conduct heat, and a sacrificial sheet provided between a refrigerant tube of the plurality of refrigerant tubes and the fin and configured such that a first surface thereof contacts the refrigerant tube and a second surface thereof contacts the fin. A corrosion potential of the sacrificial sheet may be lower than a corrosion potential of the refrigerant tube.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat exchanger, comprising:
 a plurality of refrigerant tubes through which refrigerant flows;   a fin disposed between adjacent refrigerant tubes to conduct heat; and   a sacrificial sheet provided between a refrigerant tube of the plurality of refrigerant tubes and the fin and configured such that a first surface thereof contacts the refrigerant tube and a second surface thereof contacts the fin, wherein a corrosion potential of the sacrificial sheet is lower than a corrosion potential of the refrigerant tube.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the corrosion potential of the sacrificial sheet is lower than a corrosion potential of the fin. 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein a corrosion potential of the fin is lower than the corrosion potential of the refrigerant tube. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the sacrificial sheet comprises zinc or alloy of zinc and aluminum. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the fin comprises at least one of aluminum, copper, and aluminum alloy. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant tube comprises at least one of aluminum, copper, and aluminum alloy. 
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the sacrificial sheet is positioned at each of upper and lower surfaces of each of the plurality of refrigerant tubes. 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the sacrificial sheet comprises:
 a first region; and   a second region with a step between the first region and the second region.   
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger of  claim 8 , wherein the second region is formed by protruding a portion of the first region. 
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger of  claim 8 , wherein the second region protrudes toward the refrigerant tube contacting the sacrificial sheet. 
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger of  claim 8 , wherein the second region is formed by recessing a portion of the first region. 
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger of  claim 8 , wherein the refrigerant tube comprises a matching portion corresponding to the second region. 
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger of  claim 8 , wherein a width of the first region is greater than a width of the second region. 
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the sacrificial sheet is thicker than a thickness of the fin. 
     
     
         15 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the refrigerant tube is thicker than a thickness of the sacrificial sheet. 
     
     
         16 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein each of the refrigerant tubes comprises a plurality of micro channels therein. 
     
     
         17 . The heat exchanger of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a header coupled to first ends of the plurality of refrigerant tubes to supply the refrigerant into the plurality of refrigerant tubes.   
     
     
         18 . A heat exchanger, comprising:
 a plurality of refrigerant tubes through which refrigerant flows;   a fin disposed between adjacent refrigerant tubes to conduct heat; and   a sacrificial sheet provided between a refrigerant tube of the plurality of refrigerant tubes and the fin and configured such that a first surface thereof contacts the refrigerant tube and a second surface thereof contacts the fin, wherein the sacrificial sheet comprises zinc.   
     
     
         19 . The heat exchanger of  claim 18 , wherein the refrigerant tube and the fin comprise at least one of aluminum, copper, and aluminum alloy. 
     
     
         20 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a plurality of refrigerant tubes through which refrigerant flows;   a fin disposed between adjacent refrigerant tubes to conduct heat; and   a sacrificial sheet provided between a refrigerant tube of the plurality of refrigerant tubes and the fin and configured such that a first surface thereof contacts the refrigerant tube and a second surface thereof contacts the fin, wherein a material of the sacrificial sheet is different from a material of the fin and the refrigerant tube.