High corrosion resistance heat exchanger

Abstract

A high corrosion resistance heat exchanger is disclosed, which has improved corrosion resistance. The improved corrosion resistance is achieved by controlling alloy components in a tube material and a fin material and inducing sacrificial corrosion of the fin material. The high corrosion resistance heat exchanger includes a tube having a channel formed therein to allow a refrigerant to flow, and a plurality of fins coupled to the outer circumferential surface of the tube. The fins may contain 0.1 wt % to 0.45 wt % of Mg, and 0.5 wt % to 0.8 wt % of Zn, a remainder wt % of Al.

1 . A high corrosion resistance heat exchanger comprising:
 a tube in which a channel is formed to allow a refrigerant to flow; and   a plurality of fins coupled to an outer circumferential surface of the tube,   wherein each fin included in the plurality of fins comprises 0.1 wt % to 0.45 wt % of magnesium (Mg), more than 0.5 wt % to 0.8 wt % or less of zinc (Zn), a remainder wt % of aluminum (Al).   
     
     
         2 . The high corrosion resistance heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the tube is provided so that a plurality of rows are connected in a zigzag manner. 
     
     
         3 . The high corrosion resistance heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fins are provided along the outer circumferential surface of the tube in a longitudinal direction of the tube. 
     
     
         4 . The high corrosion resistance heat exchanger of  claim 1 , further comprising plate evaporators provided on both sides of the tube, the plate evaporators extending in a height direction orthogonal to the tube. 
     
     
         5 . The high corrosion resistance heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fins are coupled to the tube by press-fitting. 
     
     
         6 . The high corrosion resistance heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the fin further comprises more than 0 wt % and less than 0.2 wt % of Fe, and more than 0 wt % and less than 0.1 wt % of Si. 
     
     
         7 . The high corrosion resistance heat exchanger of  claim 6 , wherein each of the fins has a total sum of Mg, Zn, Fe, and Si contents that is more than 0 wt % and 1.0 wt % or less. 
     
     
         8 . The high corrosion resistance heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the tube comprises 0.1 wt % to 0.45 wt % of Mg, 0.1 wt % to 0.6 wt % of Zn, and a remainder wt % of Al. 
     
     
         9 . The high corrosion resistance heat exchanger of  claim 8 , wherein the tube further comprises more than 0 wt % and less than 0.1 wt % of Fe, and more than 0 wt % and less than 0.1 wt % of Si. 
     
     
         10 . The high corrosion resistance heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein a corrosion potential of each of the fins is lower than a corrosion potential of the tube. 
     
     
         11 . The high corrosion resistance heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the tube has a corrosion potential of −760 millivolts (mV) to −780 mV. 
     
     
         12 . The high corrosion resistance heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein each of the fins has a corrosion potential of −790 millivolts (mV) to −810 mV. 
     
     
         13 . The high corrosion resistance heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein a difference in corrosion potential between the tube and each of the fins ranges from 10 millivolts (mV) to 30 mV. 
     
     
         14 . The high corrosion resistance heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the tube has a corrosion depth of 78 micrometers (μm) to 400 μm in a Sea Water Acetic Acid Test (SWAAT) according to the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) G85. 
     
     
         15 . A high corrosion resistance heat exchanger comprising:
 a tube extending in longitudinal direction, the tube including a channel formed therein to allow a refrigerant to flow;   a plurality of fins coupled to an outer circumferential surface of the tube; and   plate evaporators provided on both sides of the tube in a height direction extending orthogonal to the longitudinal direction,   wherein the tube is provided so that a plurality of rows are connected in a zigzag manner, and   wherein each fin included in the plurality of fins comprises 0.1 wt % to 0.45 wt % of magnesium (Mg), 0.1 wt % to 0.6 wt % of zinc (Zn), and remainder wt % of aluminum (Al).   
     
     
         16 . A method of protecting a tube included in a heat exchanger from corrosion, the method comprising:
 forming the tube from a first weight percentage (wt %) of an alloy composition  1  to establish a first corrosion potential of the tube; and   forming one or more fins included in the heat exchanger from a second weight percentage (wt %) of the alloy composition that is higher than the first weight percentage (wt %) of the heat exchanger tube to establish a second corrosion potential of the one or more fins that is lower than the first corrosion potential of the tube,   wherein the second corrosion potential induces corrosion of the fin earlier than corrosion of the tube so as to protect the tube from corrosion.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the alloy composition comprises magnesium (Mg). 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the alloy composition comprises zinc (Zn). 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more fins comprises 0.1 wt % to 0.45 wt % of Mg, more than 0.5 wt % to 0.8 wt % or less of Zn, a remainder wt % of aluminum (Al). 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first corrosion potential and the second corrosion potential have a difference ranging from 10 millivolts (mV) to 30 mV.